


Nexus of Time

by petiteneko



Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: Angst, Canon-Typical Violence, M/M, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Universe Alteration
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-03
Updated: 2018-07-16
Packaged: 2018-12-23 13:01:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 15
Words: 29,456
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11990325
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/petiteneko/pseuds/petiteneko
Summary: Gohan trapped with in the depths of time! Now, Trunks needs to save Gohan and allow him his three years of training… for yet unknown to both of them, Gohan is the future saviour of Earth! But how can Trunks save somebody whom he doesn't know needs saving?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So! I'm just doing some touch ups to the story, so the first twelve chapters may have a different feel to them.
> 
> I'll probably end up adding in more tags as necessary. This is a very long story!

Chapter 1

As they waved goodbye to the man who had saved them from Frieza, Gohan watched in awe. Strong, this man was so strong… He wondered more about this mysterious man. Part of him wanted to know more. Like _who_ was he? How did he become a super Saiyajin? Where was he from?

And his feet, they had a mind of their own. The crept forward – step by step – quietly answering to his curiosity. That is, before a blow hit the back of his head. When Gohan glanced backwards, he could see that it was Krillin’s elbow. Accidental…

Weak… he was weak. And sick. His stomach… it was churning. The world, it was spinning, and Krillin’s form was blurring.

And why? Why did he seem like he was staring at the other for minutes? Why? Why did it feel like it would take him _hours_ to reach the ground as he fell?

And why? Why did it feel like his body was being ripped apart?

.+++.

When he awoke, the first thing he noticed was the _smell._ First and foremost, he could smell vomit. Next, dust. That old… stale dust. And burning. Smoke... and when he opened his eyes, the ground beneath him was filled with rubble.

_Where am I?_

Gohan pushed himself up, rubbing his eyes and looked around.

His eyes widened at the sight that he was greeted with.

What…What had happened? His neck snapped around frantically. The whole city was destroyed, fires burning around him. Cars were crashed into one another, into walls and the ground, long abandoned… and… was that _blood_ under him?

(He was about to check himself, but realised that it was old. Dried and caked on.)

He was not in the desert where Frieza landed, nor near the crater his father landed in when he came home. Cautiously, Gohan wandered through the ruined city, searching for any sort of life. It seemed that this place had suffered a recent attack and… ones before. Yet, nobody was around, except very weak ki’s – even compared to a normal human.

“Boy!” A low, cautious voice hissed at him and Gohan turned in response. “What are you doing? It’s dangerous out there! Come in! Come in!”

There was an old lady frantically gesturing him in. However there was the calculated way that her eyes would shift to the sides - almost paranoid.

Gohan could not sense any malice in her ki, and so he followed her in. He needed to know what happened anyway. When he entered her crudely made shelter (it was just a pile of rubble cleverly camouflaged) he sat down on a chair offered. “I am sorry to intrude.” He said softly, looking down at his folded hands. “But… may I ask what happened here?”

“Oh boy, have you lost your memory? Did those abominations make you hit your head too hard?” She asked before letting her hand brush over his head.

Gohan hissed as her fingers pressed into the bruise Krillin left on his head.

“My poor dear. It seems that you have.”

Gohan looked up at the woman in a clueless manner. “But–”

“But I suppose that is for the best… nobody can remember the good days anymore, when the world ran peacefully and normally. When the worst of our worries were humans running around with guns or poverty. Not even King Piccolo caused the world to be this bad.”

Gohan’s eyes widened. He remembered the story of King Piccolo. He was the father of his mentor, Piccolo, and he was evil, pure evil. His mentor, however, was completely different. “What… What happened?” Gohan asked cautiously. Perhaps it was best if he played amnesiac, that was until he was sure what was going on. Something bad had happened while he was out. It wasn’t nice to lie, and even though he wasn’t really lying, he was letting the old woman believe something that wasn’t true. Yet, it seemed better to… and what she believed wasn’t far off from the truth. He didn’t remember because he _didn’t know_ what was going on, and perhaps he really did have amnesia but didn’t really know it, but it only blocked his most recent memories. He couldn’t remember how he got here and what happened.

“Think of it as a blessing that you don’t remember young lad.” The old woman said with a worn smile and ruffled his head. “Just stay with me and it’ll all be fine. Oh, would you happen to remember your name?”

Gohan frowned slightly but forced it away. “My name is Gohan.”

The old lady’s smile quivered and fell, a soft longing in her eyes. “So your parents named you after that tragic hero? He must have saved their lives… oh it’s a pity that he had to die so young…”

Gohan’s eyes widened. _What..? What’s going on? I was named after my great-grandfather… and he died as an old man._ “Um…” The child murmured.

“You probably wouldn’t even know him, even if you had your memory, would you? You would just be a wee little lad when he died. It was four years ago since that tragic day in this city. Why! You even look like him.” She said with another worn smile. “He was our hope in this desolate Earth. He fought off those monsters, yet they always seemed to overpower him. He was our strongest fighter. His hair would turn gold – just as the sun, his eyes would turn the blue-green of the seas. He would hold off the monsters as we would run away to safety...”

Gohan’s eyes widened even further. _Super Saiyajin? There’s… there’s only one Gohan who can do that, only one Gohan with the Saiyajin heritage…_ None of this was making sense. The amount of damage that had been done… (Even if he had been out for _months_ it certainly couldn’t amount to what had been going on here… and _four years?_ Gohan looked down at his body. He couldn’t have been unconscious for that long… There… there _really_ was only one other option, and even _that_ was reaching at straws… but...

“Wh-What age is it?”

“Age 784 dear.” The old lady said as she took a spot on a chair near him.

Twenty years… _Twenty years._

_**How?!** _

He was twenty years into the future…What was going on?! Gohan tried to concentrate on all of the information: There were monsters, abominations, _something_ threatening Earth and they’ve been terrorizing the world for years. Something that even a Super Saiyajin could not defeat. There was only one fighter – and that was him, an older him, a him where he grew up in this land, fighting those creatures. That meant, his dad, Krillin, Vegeta, _everybody_ was dead! Even Piccolo, and with Piccolo dead, the dragon balls were useless! And now, with Gohan’s other self dead… there were no fighters left for Earth. Earth was doomed…

“Oh dear, did I scare you? Maybe this is enough for the day. How about we get something to eat?” The old lady smiled. “And you may call me Lodi.” She said. There was something off about her smiles…. they never _truly_ smiled...

Gohan gave a weak smile. “Thank you Grandmother Lodi.” He said. Something told him that he had to solve the mystery, but he didn’t know what to do. Maybe, once he was sure that Grandmother Lodi would be fine on her own, he would head home. Hopefully his mother was still alive…

.xxx.

“Trunks! So how did it go?” Bulma said as she ran out to greet her son.

Trunks smiled. “I gave Goku the medication and gave him a warning. I uh… kinda changed time a bit too much though.” Trunks said with a slight laughter. “I killed Frieza because I didn’t know Goku knew instant transmission.”

“Well, Frieza died in the end, didn’t he?” Bulma said with a smile. “But Goku will survive, and then the world will be saved. Isn’t that great?”

Trunks nodded. “Mother, do you think I can go back, on the day that the androids attack… I, I just want to make sure.”

“Hmm, well… let me see the tanks.” Bulma said as she looked at the energy levels before letting out a whistle. “It’ll take awhile to charge the machine, but I don’t see why not. Just,” Bulma said and shook a wrench at her son, “don’t go dying on me, you hear? You’re our only hope in this timeline.”

Trunk gave a sad smile. “I know that Mother, I won’t.”

“Now, I made some supper, you go on and eat it. I’ll start charging this thing right away. The sooner it starts, the sooner you can go.”

Earth’s only warrior chuckled. “Alright Mother.” He said before entering the house and walked over to the kitchen. As he walked in, a memory surged of when Gohan had told him that before - before the androids attacked - people would remove their shoes upon entering a house. People did a lot of things differently in fact. The memory made him smile, as it prompted others. Of Gohan teaching him etiquette and manners… Back then, huh?

His trip to the past had many things that he didn’t expect. He saw his father – the man whom he never got to meet, he met Goku, Krillin, all of the other fighters that Gohan had told him about. He even got to meet his young mother. There was Gohan’s mentor – Piccolo, and even Gohan himself, at the tender age of seven.

He wanted to make the world safe for that boy; he didn’t want him to grow up like he had in this time. He wanted Gohan to live a happy life, never having to fight an enemy he could never defeat over and over. He didn’t want Gohan to lose a limb and almost his sight, to lose his father, his friends, his mentor, and even his life. Then, there was his unborn self, a person yet to be. He wanted that Trunks to live in a world of freedom and peace, one where he didn’t have to look at every corner twice, one where he knew his father. He wanted his mother to live happily with his father. He wanted his father to live. And yet, all of this depended on a simple medicine and a warning. Goku was the strongest man alive, the first to achieve the state of Super Saiyajin. If he couldn’t destroy the androids…

No, Goku would, Goku could. There was no doubting that.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also: Feel free to let me know of anything that seems off. As I said, I'm doing some edits to each chapter!  
> Oh, and... fair warning. This story? It's overloaded with angst. I mean it. So much angst.

Chapter 2

Gohan had never heard anything else in regards to the past, or of the creatures that were terrorising the Earth. Grandmother Lodi was adamant on keeping him out of the loop. ‘Don’t you worry’ she would say, ‘it’s better for you not to know.’

He appreciated her concern, he did, but… for him… it was worse _not knowing_ than knowing. It was worse because Gohan knew… he knew of the horrors of the universe, and he knew… he knew that one day, these _things_ would be the death of him.

They would be the death of everybody he knew and cared about. His father, Piccolo… their fighting friends…

Because the only energies he could feel… were the faint energies of his mother, his grandfather, and Roshi... (And he thought Bulma, but he wasn’t too sure. There _was_ some familiar energy coming from where Capsule Corp _should_ be.)

And _that_ was rather unusual. Because for how strong those abominations _must_ be, he could not sense them. Not a trace. In fact… the only time he _could_ was when they attacked.

Because he could feel a disturbance. He could feel as energies fluctuated. As they faded. Slowly… steadily…

(It was… sickening, honestly. Because all he could do was imagine. _Imagine_ just what they were doing to those poor people for their energy to slowly fade like that…)

In fact, his imagination was getting the better of him. It would create scenario after scenario, trying to envision just _what_ kind of creatures could be stronger, and _worse_ than Frieza. (Because Frieza… Frieza did not do this. He killed for fun, he killed for information, but not once did Gohan see or sense him needlessly torturing his victims for any other reason other than information.) They were sadistic. They would torture and torment Earth until all of their toys died out….

And his imagination would try and picture what happened. What had happened to all of his friends – his _father_ …

Him.

So, no, Grandmother Lodi… it was _not_ better not knowing.

And, all of this hiding… it was not doing him any favours either. Because he could see it. See that broken spirit of the old woman before him. He could see it in the eyes of the people around him. As they scurried for their shelters, only admonishing the children that tripped instead of helping them.

Fear. That was what ruled this world.

He wasn’t immune to it either.

No, as the weeks turned into a month, Gohan found himself acting so very similar to the others – but in his own, unique way. In the way that spoke of a person being scared. Because… he _was_ going to die. Maybe not tomorrow… but…

(Because there _just_ wasn’t any other option. There _wasn’t._ He was the only Gohan who had the ability to turn into a Super Saiyajin.)

And, it only made him wonder, it only made him _that much more_ afraid, because if he, as a Super Saiyajin, couldn’t even defeat these… creatures, what chance did _he?_ As a seven year old child who was terrified of a being far weaker? As somebody who had not made the achievement of a Super Saiyajin?

It was _hopeless._

And yet, for whatever masochistic reason, Gohan would sit there, on the rocks he was found on, concentrating on the ki disruption whenever it happened.

“Gohan, dear?”

“…They’re at it again…” He whispered quietly, but he could _hear_ her as she shook his head.

“Oh, Dearie, enough of this nonsense. Come on, come inside. Supper is almost ready.”

However there was something that was making him uneasy. More so than usual.

And it took him a few more minutes to realise just _what_ it was…

They were headed towards where his mother was!

Gohan jolted upright and looked in that direction. His mother – his _mother!_

“Grandmother Lodi – I’m – ah – afraid I must take my leave now.”

She turned towards him, her eyes soft and sad. “You’re leaving. Did… you regain your memories boy?”

Gohan bit his lip. He certainly did not like playing this charade, but… how could he tell her what he had come to conclude? Especially as she didn’t believe a few things he had mentioned to her already.

“I just – I just need to go home.”

That sad smile reached her face. “Well, I can’t let you go on an empty stomach, now can I? Certainly it can wait…”

He chewed his lip more. “Just for a few minutes…” He would quickly eat, and leave. He could grant her this concern. She had housed him for this last month after all…

And, with food in his stomach Gohan stood up, only to have a firm grip on his arm.

“It’s dangerous out there child… with the Androids…”

She wanted him to stay – and _that_ lightened his heart a bit. Perhaps humanity _wasn’t_ completely ruled by fear after all… He looked down, only feeling that determination swell in his chest once. Androids, huh? Artificial beings… Now it was making sense just _why_ he couldn’t sense them…

Gohan shook his head, smiling up at her. “Thank you. For your hospitality – for everything, but I must go now.”

And, as he left, taking to the skies, he looked back only to see a _true_ smile on her face.

.+++.

Gohan managed to avoid the city that was under attack. In fact, he recognised the route he was taking, as debilitated as it was. He was headed _home_ – not to just where his family was but his actual _home._

And, aside from the beat up roof and walls, there was something else that caught his attention.

Stones. No – not just any stones – those were _tombstones…_

He knew… he knew he should just look away. _Ignore_ them, but his eyes were fixated on them. They were underneath a tree. The tree he remembered climbing. The tree he remembered his dad sleeping against as they fished…

His eyes ran over the first one.

_Son Goku, 737-766. Loving Father and husband._

His knees slumped. Two… _two years?_ He was going to lose his dad in _two years?_ That’s… that’s how much longer he had? Two years of happiness… before… before _this?_

It didn’t feel real anymore. No… not with that deadline. He could have lived with knowing he was going to die in sixteen years. Sixteen years. That was enough time to try and prepare for this… this _calamity_ but… two? _Two_ years?

Because, just _how else_ could his father have died? The man who defeated Frieza…

He found his hands trembling. How? _How_ could chaos be upon them _so soon?_ How could they have just _not known?_ To be blissfully unaware that…

(And, what did that mean for _him?_ To have fought for fourteen years…?)

Suddenly, he didn’t want to look at the other tombstone. He knew… he _knew_ just whose exactly it would be…

“Go-Gohan? N-No, this cannot be!”

Almost – just _almost_ was Gohan relieved for the interruption in his thoughts. That is, until his mother’s form wobbled. “M-Mom…”

_She looks so much older…_

“Chi-Chi!” The rougher voice of his grandfather called out as he ran towards his mother, catching her before she hit the ground. And then, their eyes met.

“Kami… it’s a ghost!”

“Grandpa!” Finally, Gohan snapped out of it and ran over to them. “I’m not a ghost… at least I don’t think I am…”

“Th-Then what are you?” The Ox-King asked as he held his unconscious daughter.

Gohan looked down at his feet. “I’m Gohan… just not the one from here… I don’t know what happened, but one moment Dad’s coming home from space, and the next I wake up and I end up here… I… well, it looks like I’m in the future? Could you tell me what happened in the last twenty years, after Frieza attacked? From what I could figure out, everybody but me is dead… and I died four years ago, and there are Androids terrorizing Earth, the dragon balls are gone, and Earth is now powerless against the enemy.”

“No, Earth isn’t powerless. There’s Trunks, he was your pupil.”

“B-But… if I couldn’t defeat them as a Super-Saiyajin, then what hope does a human have?” Gohan asked sadly.

“He’s a Saiyajin too.”

Gohan glanced up in surprise. “He is? I have a brother?”

For the first time did the Ox-King laugh. “No, he’s Vegeta’s child.”

Gohan blinked. “Wait, _what!_ Ve-Vegeta’s?” Suddenly Bulma’s words echoed into his mind. Words that seemed years away…

_“Don’t they look alike? Vegeta and that weird kid.”_

Gohan’s eyes widened. It couldn’t be…

“Yeah, he’s got purple hair and blue eyes, he gets it from his mother.” The Ox-King seemed to be relaxed, as his family was whole. (Or… at least _almost._

_Trunks…_ Gohan thought, letting the name weave itself around in his brain. _So that was the name of the young Saiyajin who saved us from Frieza?_

Wait, that didn’t make any sense! Trunks was older than he was! How could Trunks be his pupil? Did Vegeta have a child before he came to Earth? Yet, Vegeta seemed surprised about Trunks. What was going on?

“At least he’s got Bulma.”

Gohan’s head was spinning. Bulma? _Bulma has… no way!_ “Wait, wait, wait!” Gohan blubbered, before he remembered his grandfather mentioning Trunks’ hair and eyes were from his mother... “Is Bulma Trunks’ mom?”

The Ox-King nodded with his eyes closed and a smile on his face, oblivious to Gohan’s shock.

_That would explain why he wore the Capsule Corporation jacket…_ Gohan thought, trying to piece everything together. “Grandpa… can you just start from when Frieza attacked? From when Dad came back from space?” Maybe that would be better… he was getting so confused.

The Ox-King nodded and went into his story.

.+++.

Gohan blinked as he absorbed all of the information. His dad… he died from a heart virus, everybody else died when the androids attacked six months later, and that was where he gained the ability of Super Saiyajin. Then, all he did was train and fight. He took Vegeta’s son – Trunks – as a pupil and trained him. They were the last two fighters Earth had, and now the last once he died four years ago. But why was Trunks fighting Frieza, when his dad was supposed to, why was Trunks there when he wasn’t even born yet? Why did Trunks know his dad was supposed to arrive there?

Yet, once Gohan realized _when_ he was, things clicked into place. That machine that Trunks left in was not some spaceship, or an airplane. No, it was a time machine! And, somehow, as he came to this timeline, Gohan was swept up in it and ended up here.

He needed to find this Trunks, and go back to where he belonged.

“Where can I find Trunks?” Gohan asked as he looked up at his grandfather.

“West City, where they always – Oh Chi-Chi!”

Gohan turned to his mom, but realized that she might faint again if he was in the house. “Grandpa? Can you break the news to Mom that I’m… not a ghost?” Gohan said as he snuck quietly over to a wall and hid behind it.

“Oh Chi-Chi! Are you alright?” The Ox-King said as he lifted his daughter up into a sitting position.

However, the aged woman still had some spring as she shot up. “Where’s my Gohan? Where’s my boy?” She said and looked around. And then her face. “…Am I so old that I’m seeing things now?”

And Gohan, confident enough that his appearance wouldn’t send his mother into shock, stepped out of his hiding place. “No… no you’re not Mom.”

Chi-Chi’s head whipped up at the gentle voice of her son. “Oh Gohan… is it really you?”

Gohan’s face had a sad smile. “I’m from the past Mom… I’m not the other Gohan.”

It seemed that it didn’t matter to Chi-Chi though and she stood up to hug her young son. “Oh Gohan… my baby…”

Normally, Gohan would have squirmed out of his mother’s grasp, but he knew that she needed this. Her Gohan was dead, he was that second tombstone, the one Gohan would not - _could not_ \- read. And then, he remembered why he was here in the first place and he looked up into his mother’s eyes. “Mom, you and Grandpa need to get out of here!” How could he have forgotten! “The androids are coming this way, and I don’t want you to get hurt.”

In a manner that was too practiced, too casual, Chi-Chi nodded. “Okay. Thanks you for warning me.” She said weakly and kissed the top of his head before walking off in a ritual that, too, was probably honed over the years of terror. “You’re going away, aren’t you?”

Since when was his mother so accepting of him going away? Of going into _danger?_ Since when did she seem so weak? So fragile? Gohan looked down. “Yes… my time needs me Mom…”

“It’s alright honey.” She said while packing bare necessities and memorabilia, in case they could not come home again. “It was… good to see you again.”

Gohan looked down at the ground before he ran up to his mother and encased her in a tight hug. He would prevent this! If only he could go back home, go back to his own time!

“Shh, shhh my dear. You must go, as do I.” Chi-Chi said and ruffled Gohan’s long hair. “But how about we cut your hair first?”

Gohan smiled. “Alright.” He said. He could let her do that, and from the ki disruption, they still were far enough away…

.+++.

“There!” Chi-Chi said. “I say, my talent doesn’t change with age, does it Papa?” The smile on her face was one that looked like it wasn’t used often anymore. (Just like Grandmother Lodi…)

“Yes it doesn’t Chi-Chi!” The Ox-King acknowledged. “But, we all should get going, I’ve contacted Master Roshi, he said he’s waiting for us at the coast.”

Gohan gave one last smile to his remaining family in this time, and took off for West City.

As Gohan flew, something bad was happening not far off. Ki’s were disappearing and he knew that if he continued to fly, he would be found out. He landed and he was near a village in the mountains. He had to be careful when he flew because he knew that if he was caught in the open, there would be no hiding. So he took the mountain route. He ran a hand through his hair.

Thankfully, it wasn’t a repeat of when he left for Namek. So, his mother had learned that taming the natural spikes was neither productive nor reasonable. She had just simple cut off the back end of it, while the front flared out as it always did.

He sighed before hiding behind the mountain. There was an old village there – and people were probably still living in the outskirts and rubble, just as they were where Lodi lived… And the Androids… they were picking them off, one by one… Destroying buildings… rubble… just to find a _toy_ to play with.

He found himself shaking in fear and in hatred. This was just like on Namek, when he hid as he watched Frieza destroy Dende’s village. Yet, here, there was nobody to hold him back except his own fear and his own knowledge. There was no Krillin…

Gohan heard their screams, he heard their cries. And, then a man landed in front of him, hit from a blast, a kick, or _something._ “R-Run boy…” He said weakly before his own ki faded.

How! How could somebody, something, be so ruthless? How!

Gohan heard footsteps and he froze.

“Man, humans are such weak creatures, are they not?” A female voice said.

“Are you kidding? Sometimes I wished we hadn’t killed Gohan, at least he provided us with some sort of amusement every now and then.” A male voice responded.

Their tones sent shivers down Gohan’s spin as he hid behind a rock. These people… these _things_ were closing in on him. They talked about death as a casual thing, they joked about it, they were the ones who killed him, no his future self.

“Well there’s always his pupil, Trunks or something.” The female said as she kicked the corpse of the man just inches away from him.

“Eighteen, do you see that rock over there?” The man said.

Gohan’s eyes widened. The voice was directed his way.

“Yeah, what’s so interesting about it Seventeen?” The female named Eighteen responded.

“Well, I think there’s some wild hair behind it.” Seventeen said and the footsteps came closer. Then, they stopped and a very human-like hand grasped his hair.

Gohan gasped and struggled before coming face-to-face with his killers, his very _human_ -looking killers.

“Why… fancy that. This kid is the spitting image of Gohan.” Seventeen said. “I wonder… maybe he’s his son?”

Eighteen placed her hands on her hips. “What does it matter? Just kill him already.”

“Well, you see, if he is Gohan’s son, then maybe he’ll provide us with some fun. It’s getting boring killing humans without their Superhero to protect them. This Trunks character just isn’t as strong as Gohan was, even without the arm.” Seventeen then turned his blue eyes towards Gohan. “So tell me kid, are you Gohan’s?”

Why Gohan had the impulse to reply to them, he didn’t know. Perhaps it had to do with the fear that made his blood feel like lead. Perhaps it was due to the fact that _if_ he told him that he _was_ Gohan… they would kill him – and he _had_ to get back. Had to get home so he could _warn_ everybody…

So, he nodded.

Then an evil smirk graced Seventeen’s face. “Well look at that! He is Gohan’s brat!” He said before letting go of Gohan’s hair. “So kid, show me what you got! Comon! I’ll let you live if you pass the test, so you gotta give it your all.”

Gohan stared at them in fright. Pass the test? Did he have to become Super Saiyajin? How could he? How? Yet, if he didn’t do anything, Gohan knew he was going to die. So he took a deep, shaky breath and let all of his power come to him.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's chapter three guys! :D

Trunk hated waiting, he hated watching, and yet it was _all_ that he did.

The Androids weren’t traceable, that’s why.

Radios, word of mouth… that was the only real method of tracking them. Sure, _sure_ there was the ki disruption as well, but even _that_ wasn’t reliable. He was always one step behind them, and he cursed himself for it.

More and more people were dying and he was doing nothing about it!

(And yet, for some reason, there was something niggling in the back of his mind, it was as if it was on the tip of his tongue and he couldn’t identify it.)

The only thing he could do was wait. Wait, because once he could go into the past again… But the time machine was taking too long to charge!

(No, not really, he was just impatient. A trait he got from _both_ his parents, not that his mother would admit it.)

Often, he also thought back to when he went into the past. Will his killing Frieza change things? Will he have screwed things over?

Trunks knew all that he could do was wait and see how it turned out. Even if he hated it.

.+++.

The androids were particularly sadistic today, Trunks noticed as he concentrated on the disruption. However, there was that niggling again, but Trunks didn’t pay attention to it. Instead, he concentrated on where the androids were. If he could calculate their next move… he might be able to prevent some deaths. It was almost like meditation, what Gohan taught him, what Piccolo taught Gohan. Often would his mother come out to check on him, and just as Trunks was honing in, something flared, that niggling sensation burst into life.

_What was Gohan’s ki doing here!_

Trunks snapped his eyes open and charged towards the mountain city that was currently under attack. Something wasn’t right here!

.xxx.

Gohan’s aura flowed about him as he stared at Seventeen. He was still fearful of his life, but hopefully he could match up to their standards. Gohan couldn’t – wouldn’t – die.

Seventeen, however, seemed disappointed. “Aw, none of that yellow stuff? Ah, well you’re just a brat. Well, let’s see how much you can withstand. Come on, I’ll give you the first shot.”

They were mocking him, they were underestimating him, but Gohan already knew that he couldn’t defeat them as he was now. He had to give it all though, unless he wanted to die. So he took the bait and sent a leg towards the android’s head.

The reaction was more instinctual than a defence: an arm shot up to take his kick easily. “Hmm…Not bad for a brat.” Seventeen said before his hand wrapped around Gohan’s ankle and flung Gohan into the rock he hid behind. “Let’s see how long you can amuse me before you become a ragdoll. If you can last, then I’ll keep that promise. But you better turn yellow the next time we meet, because playing with you is like playing with those humans all those years ago… fun for a few minutes, but quickly boring.”

Gohan pushed himself up. _This is child’s play to him… I’m nothing compared to him…_ The boy thought with dismay. _But I need to hold on… I need to live… I need to warn everybody._ He charged at Seventeen again, this time quickly shifting behind him and landing a blow at his lower back. Next, he swung around to the front and flew up, punching the mechanical _thing_ in the chin. His feet kicked outward before he was grabbed in mid-air before tossed off to a mountain side.

From wincing eyes, Gohan could see Seventeen cracking his neck.

“He packs quite a punch.” He said with a smirk. “It’ll be interesting to see what he can do in the future.”

“Why wait?” Eighteen said, deciding to comment again. “Isn’t it stupid to let the kid grow up and challenge us?”

Seventeen laughed. “It’s not as if he can get stronger than his father. You saw how easily I defeated him. Although, I guess it was unfair to take off his arm beforehand.”

Gohan glared at them, fisting his hands. Was this all a game to them? Killing people? Torturing them? Terrifying them? Something untapped appeared deep within him, like that time when he thought Frieza killed Krillin, when his henchmen killed the Nameks, when Nappa killed Piccolo, when Raditz hurt his dad. Energy appeared at his hands and he shot it at Seventeen. He charged at him, throwing kicks and punches wherever there was a body. More energy blasts. How could somebody be so… so cruel!

Then he was plucked by his shirt. “Aww, did talking about your daddy make you mad Chibi Gohan?” Seventeen said with a sickly mocking tone. “But it does make you more powerful. How about I tell you how we ripped out his arm, scarred his body, how we killed him? Would that make you more fun to play with?”

Gohan was glaring at him, his breathing heavy from his recent exertion.

“Aw, isn’t he cute Eighteen? Look at that little glare, it’s as if he thinks he’s a threat to us.”

The girl turned her head. “I never get you sometimes Seventeen.”

Seventeen punched him in the stomach, and Gohan, even in the pain, _knew_ that this wasn’t even half, perhaps even a quarter of his real strength. It was no wonder why everybody died fighting them…. His vision began to darken around the edges.

_No! I can’t! I need to warn! I need to!_ Gohan said as he forced his consciousness to regain itself. Just as it did, there was another blow to his stomach – this time a knee.

“Look at him, clinging on, trying to remain awake.” Seventeen said as he shook Gohan.

All Gohan could do was groan. There were more stars in his vision than in the sky. (He knew that wasn’t the case, but logic really didn’t play a huge role in his mind at the moment.)

“You still awake kid?”

Gohan forced himself to blink and he winced and saw the man who killed his future self.

Seventeen was smirking maliciously again. “Heh, you’re pretty tough kid.”

“Seventeen, can you wrap it up? I’m getting bored watch you play with your boy toy.” Eighteen said and yawned.

The male android laughed. “Alright, alright sis. Guess it’s nighty-night for you brat. You got a passing grade. Have fun.” He said before kneeing Gohan in the stomach again. This time, to knock him out.

As Gohan’s world turned black he felt as if he were flying.

.xxx.

The time traveller landed down in the ruined city in the mountains. The damage was done, and there was no sign of the androids. “Fuck…” He cursed and wandered through the still-flaming city. He glanced from left to right, following the disaster. But, unlike the typical destructions, it moved sharply to the right, following a house that had been blasted through. _Did they follow somebody they were playing with?_ Trunks thought and floated over the rubble.

He saw a man, kicked over on his side – as Eighteen tended to do once somebody died. There was damage here as well… the rock the dead man was reaching for had appeared as if somebody, or something, was smashed into it, and a circle of impact was blown into the mountainside. Were there more people here? Did the androids decide to vaporize them instead of leaving corpses for him to find? Yet, there was no sign of his mentor, no sign of where the androids flew off to. Nothing.

Was he being driven mad by these artificial humans? Were they pushing at his wits, making him hallucinate, making him imagine, making him _hope?_ Trunks swore that he felt Gohan’s ki spike here, yet it couldn’t be. Gohan was _dead_ , Gohan would have left more damage than a rock and a mountain side, Gohan would have went Super Saiyajin.

And Gohan would have been disappointed in him. He had failed humanity yet again, he let the androids go on a rampage, and he did nothing to stop them! He was always too late, always saw just the aftermath, the scared humans, the corpses littering the ground, and always failed.

“Damn it all!” Trunks yelled as he punched the rock, shattering it. Why did he have to be so weak? If only… if only Goku had still lived! If only his time had a miracle antidote from the future! Why did Piccolo have to go die? Why couldn’t he have had enough wisdom to stay away, to save his life for others! They would have had the dragon balls, would have had a chance! Then Gohan would have really been here again, instead of in the afterlife where he could do nothing but watch… watch as he failed over and over and over again.

“Agh!” He screamed in frustration, and his energy surged. He felt the transformation as his hair spiked, and his eyes took on a green tinge.

Away. He needed to get away. Anywhere. Anywhere but here. Anywhere but a place that was ravaged by destruction and chaos… Anywhere but _sorrow._

And he landed in a forest, where life seemed to go on as normal, where those creatures of lesser intelligence continued on obliviously.

Then Trunks laughed, it was dark, it was sardonic. The ant was fearful of those things bigger than it, and the chain continued. Humans were once at the top… but then came the androids. There was always something bigger, something badder out there, and humans had only just realized it. It shook them out of their comfortable life and it reverted them back to nature, fearing their predator.

Where would mankind be without the Saiyajins? Dead?

No… Goku was the start of this all. Without Goku, Dr. Gero would not have created the androids to defeat him, there would be no Raditz, no Vegeta, no Frieza… perhaps the world would have been run by the Red Ribbon Army…

But this was not the time for what-ifs. This was not the life with second chances, or even thirds. Trunks had one life, and he had to use it well. He could not die… even if it meant that he couldn’t meet Gohan until much later. Earth needed him… and even though he needed Gohan, he would have to do without. He had to deal with two enemies far stronger than he was. If only Gohan was here now… perhaps they could deal with the androids together.

“Damnit Gohan!” Trunks sobbed, his energy levels reverting to normal as he fell to the grass. “Why? Why did you have to die…?”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whhhooopps. Here comes more angst.

He hurt.

That was the first thing that Gohan had noticed. That he hurt, _everywhere._ His head and stomach were the worst though…

The next thing he noticed was that he was wet. Wet and cold.

He pulled himself up – and _out_ of the river. It seemed that he had either subconsciously grasped onto land, or the river had just drifted him over here.

Luck was, at the very least, on his side.

(Not on his front for sure though… And when he laughed at his dark humour, he only winced further. That wasn’t a smart idea Gohan...)

He took his in his situation: he was soaking wet, cold, hungry and injured. He needed to get food, and then heal up. 

He wouldn’t dare to fly in this state.

There was heavy breathing above him, and a drop of large saliva slid down his shoulder. Gohan glanced up to see a very familiar face.

Apparently it recognized him too and panic filled its face. It picked the wrong prey today.

Gohan’s stomach growled and almost comically, the gigantic T-Rex turned tail (well, whatever was left of it anyway) and ran. Gohan let out a short laughter, but halting the once again his stomach muscles protested before he ran after the dinosaur. He hadn’t eaten dinosaur tail in awhile…

.+++.

It took Gohan a few days to recover, but he was glad where he ended up. He knew this land like the back of his hand; it was the place Piccolo took him training after his dad died. And now was he ever glad that Piccolo left him alone for those six months. Today, he should continue on, go to where Trunks was. Yet… Gohan knew that he had to be cautious, for if he was caught by the androids again, he knew that he wouldn’t have a second chance. Seventeen wanted to face him as a Super Saiyajin, and yet, Gohan didn’t know if he could achieve it right now. It took Krillin’s death for his dad to become one, it took the death of everybody he knew for his future self to become one. What did it take for Trunks? Was it his future death? Gohan shuddered at the thought of his fate being absolute. He was going to lose his left arm… he was going to die… all at the hands of these androids. Gohan glanced down at his left limb and let his right arm caress it. What would it be like losing a limb? What would it be like dying? Gohan didn’t want to know, he didn’t want to find out.

Yet, it almost seemed that he would. The world, it felt so empty… before he could sense all of his father’s friends – Krillin, Yamcha, Vegeta… – his father, _Piccolo_ , and now… virtually nothing. Although now, now he knew just what that familiar energy from Capsule Corp was. Trunks…

Gohan sighed as he drew random shapes in the ground beneath him. How could it have come down to this? Just him left, then this Trunks fellow? How could those androids be so powerful? He knew that he should get going, should try to get back to his own time, but he was afraid. What if he ran into the androids again? Gohan needed to get stronger, he knew that, but _how?_ Every time he attempted to become stronger, he sparred with a friend, an ally. How could he do it on his own? His father had done it, he had traveled the lands facing enemies… he used gravity chambers… Yet what could Gohan do? He was out in the middle of nowhere, with nobody around, nobody strong enough that is, and completely clueless.

What would his father do?

He would train as hard as he could, he would reach the androids’ expectations and above, he would challenge them and _then_ go back in time to do it all over again.

But Gohan wasn’t like his father. He didn’t _like_ fighting. But what he liked to do and what he had to do didn’t always coincide with one another, that he did know, and it was proven by his future self. He fought for Earth, tried to protect it as best as he could… even with the distaste for fighting.

And he _died_ doing it.

And Gohan knew that he needed to go home. His mother probably missed him, she probably was worried sick, and without him… Trunks would never even stand a chance against these androids, the one yet to be born. And in order to go home, he had to fly and risk running into the androids… which meant he needed to achieve Super Saiyajin. He _could_ do it, Gohan knew that, yet could _he_ do it, right now, without the others dying?

It required anger… and anger was something that unlocked Gohan’s powers. He knew that. Anger and if something threatened his life. He unlocked it a few days ago, once he was angry at how Seventeen acted. He remembered his words: _playing with you is like playing with those humans all those years ago… fun for a few minutes, but quickly boring._

He would use that, he decided. Gohan closed his eyes and entered the meditative state Piccolo taught him. In his mind he imagined the two androids, imagined them with clarity now as opposed to uninformed ponderings. Then he imagined everybody. 

The first thing he imagined was the mockery. The pride. The _boredom._ Taunting them…

He imagined his friends – their expressions of _pain._ Of hopelessness. As they watched one another fall – _die_ – one by one…

He tried – tried to see it as if he were there, feeling their ki slowly diminish. As if it was _him_ who was watching this doomed fate…

He felt the anger, he felt the dread. It was crawling up on him, coiling within him, filling his being. There was fear – horror – at observing their strength, their brutality, their _boredom._ He felt helpless, he felt weak. Sadness and sorrow crept up in the background, because he knew that they would never win, that eventually they would die.

And it was unfair! It was not right! It was… it was...

_**No!**_ His eyes snapped open and he fell towards the ground on his hands and knees, his heart racing, his chest heaving.

It was too much!

.xxx.

Trunks felt that niggling again, he thought he felt that familiar ki twitch, he thought he felt a disturbance, but he had to ignore it. It wasn’t true, it wasn’t real. It was just his emotions getting in the way again. It could have been hunger too, for each time he thought the ki spiked into existence was when he had to eat.

_Kami… I’m really out of it! His name can also mean rice, and here I am thinking about him when it’s time to eat!_ Trunks thought and groaned. Was he really _that_ lovesick?

“Trunks! It’s time to eat!” Bulma yelled out from the kitchen. Trunks groaned. He really needed to stop this.

“Coming Mother.”

“So, Trunks, it seems that the charge is going to take while… it’s only one-sixth full.” Bulma said as she sat down. “Probably another five more months. Why don’t you go out to train? I mean… you’ll be facing the androids in the past…”

“But Mother… I can’t just leave you here!” Trunks said with wide eyes. “What if the androids attack? Who will protect you? What about the time machine?”

“I survived on Namek when Gohan and Krillin left me alone, I’m fairly certain that I, and the time machine, can find a safe enough hiding place until then.” Bulma said with a smile. “Besides, you need to train anyway; you need to keep up your body.”

Just as Trunks began to eat, he felt it. No, not Gohan’s ghostly ki, but others fading. They were close and the warrior’s head snapped up. “Mother, I need to go.” He said and stood up, running to where his sword was.

“Trunks! Wait!” Bulma called after her son before tossing a square box of capsules at him. “A month’s worth of food.”

Trunks gave a soft smile. “You always know what I’ll say, don’t you?” He said before disappearing into his room to grab the weapon and flying off to Parsley City.

.+++.

“Why, look who’s here…” Seventeen said with a smirk as they floated above the wreckage they caused.

“Indeed, maybe this time I can have some fun.” Eighteen responded pompously.

“Tch.” Seventeen spat out. “Just ‘cause I got to play with the brat doesn’t mean you can have the pupil! It was hardly a fight!”

“You know the rules Seventeen! We always take turns. Don’t worry, you’ll get him next round.”

Trunks glared at the two artificial humans who were clearly mocking him. From what he could tell, he was going to be facing Eighteen. Why? He didn’t know, and he really didn’t care. He just wanted to get this over with. And so, without hesitation he powered up completely – not letting an ounce of his power be withheld. Distract them. Save as many lives as he could…

And he charged at her.

“Talk about rude. I thought Gohan had pounded some manners into you.” She said, blocking his attack. “We were in the middle of a conversation you know.”

“Does it look like I give a damn?” Trunks countered and smirked, firing a blast towards her as she held his sword.

“Why do you get the yellow hair!” Seventeen seemed spiteful almost. “Hey! Eighteen! Don’t kill him! Maybe he can teach the brat to do that!”

Eighteen kicked away the ki blast with the tip of her boot before letting it connect to Trunks’ head, sending him flying in recoil. “Are you stupid or something? We killed Gohan for a reason! Or are we going to do away with this one once he lives out his usefulness too?” She said, turning her back to Trunks.

As Trunks collided into the building he stared up at them. What…. What were they talking about? Curiosity almost got the better of him as he moved to sheath his sword. No! It didn’t matter! They had to die! Now! He charged towards Eighteen with the blade.

“Maybe we should let this guy breed as well, then his kid will try to exact revenge on us too.” Seventeen said as he relaxed in the air.

“Ugh!” Eighteen said in disgust as she blocked Trunks’ sword with her forearm. “You disgust me Seventeen!”

However, Trunks’ eyes widened in shock, and he didn’t even attempt to dodge the blow aimed at his stomach. What did Seventeen just say? _Too? As well?_

“Oh dear, I think you just spilled a secret brother… he didn’t even _try_ to protect himself from my punch.” Eighteen said with a laugh. “Apparently he didn’t know his mentor had a kid.”

_Gohan had… no way, that’s impossible!_ Trunks thought and held his stomach in physical and emotional pain.

Seventeen joined in on the laughter. “Look at that expression! It almost makes me want to cry! He looks like you just crushed his heart, not his stomach!”

“Technically, that was your doing Seventeen. I just reinforced it.”

“I suppose.” The black-haired android said before he floated down in front of Trunks. “The brat even acknowledged it. He’s the spitting image of Gohan. In fact, he almost looks exactly like Gohan did when we killed all of his friends.”

“And… you left him alive?” Trunks grunted out, but this time the pain was metaphorical and not literal.

“What use is a toy if you break it early on? I told him to learn that funny skill you Saiyajins have to change your hair colour before he sees me next, or else I’m going to kill him. He’s stronger than the rest of the humans though, I’ll give you that.”

Trunks was filled with mixed emotions. He didn’t know what was more painful – the fact that Gohan had… betrayed him, or the fact that Gohan _hadn’t told him_. Yet, regardless of all of this, Trunks felt the need to protect Gohan’s son, to train him, to raise him. If Gohan had really left something in this world, then it was his job as his pupil to protect it! And it… it was something of his mentor’s… Even though… even though…

“Now…” Trunks didn’t notice that Seventeen had backed up, and Eighteen took his place. She lifted his head with her index finger. “Are you going to continue our fight or just float there in your own head?”

Trunks’ eyes hardened. If he could defeat them now, then perhaps Gohan’s son could live the rest of his life in peace!

He charged once again.


	5. Chapter 5

Gohan slammed his fists into the ground.

“D-Damn it!”

_What_ was this world doing to him?

Scared – he was just _so scared._ No, he was _terrified._

All he could see was the future that was being laid out for him. All he could see was _this._ This desolation. See this hopelessness. And he was too weak… too _scared_ to do anything.

He couldn’t even face the facts. It overwhelmed him.

Was it because it was too tragic, too _true?_

He didn’t want to see everybody dying! He didn’t want to be here! He didn’t want the world to end up like this! He didn’t want to **die!**

Gohan shivered, hugging his own body. He felt the androids attacking again, not too far away… he couldn’t go today - he was too weak.

But that was always the case, wasn’t it? He was too weak to save his dad against his uncle, he was too weak to challenge Nappa and Vegeta, he was too weak to save Namek, he was too weak when Frieza attacked Earth.

Even now, he was too weak to go back home and warn everybody about these androids, about this fate. He was stuck in these wastelands again, and could not leave until he was strong enough. He could not fly – what if those androids could sense him – he could not move – what if he ran into them?

(He would **die.** That’s what.)

.+++.

A week. A week. Seven days of trying. Seven days of failing...

Now he knew what Grandmother Lodi was talking about. Even though he had seen horrors in his life - he saw people dying, he saw a world as it was about to explode – there was nothing more terrifying than this place, this time. He was trapped in a cage of fear, unable to move, unable to do anything but hide. He was ruled by those androids with their evil, sadistic smirks… Their not-so-idle threats. Their strength. _What they represented…_

Yet, he had a fear that the old woman would never have guessed.

Gohan had to face them all over again. He had to face them with the knowledge that they will kill his friends, kill everybody he knows, that they will cause terror in every man, woman and child on Earth, that they will kill _him._

How? How could Gohan face them with that knowledge?

Then, Trunks’ ki signalled in the distance. Gohan’s head shot up. He could feel the golden power of a Super Saiyajin, and yet… he could feel it waning. Gohan’s eyes closed as he concentrated on it.

He could feel the ki, he could sense the emotions. Anger, desperation, curiosity… shock? Pain.

Gohan broke out of it. What was going on over there? Why was Trunks so… emotional?

Yet, the ki continued to drop. It was slow… it was torturous. Was this what it meant to be stronger yet not strong enough? To have torture prolonged? To have the pain inflicted even harder?

Trunks’ ki continued to drop, and Gohan could not do anything about it. Fear had him glued to the spot. He was supposed to be Trunks’ mentor… he was supposed to train him…he was supposed to protect him…

Did he sacrifice himself for Trunks, like Piccolo had for him?

Then, images played out in his mind. Once again was he younger, watching as Nappa’s energy blast headed towards him. Then, the man whom he began to look up to, jumped in front of him, spoke words of hope.

And yet, Gohan couldn’t understand them at that moment. All that he knew was that Piccolo was going to die – die for his mistakes, die just like his dad did, and there wasn’t going to be any dragon balls to bring him back…

But that scene warped. Instead, it wasn’t Nappa, no it was the androids. They were toying with his beloved mentor, they were torturing him, and Piccolo’s ki was falling – just as Trunks’ was – slowly, gradually…

Then Seventeen approached him as Eighteen continued to play with Piccolo.

“Why aren’t you yellow?” He said with clear disappointment. “I told you to be yellow!”

The man had punched him across the jaw. And yet, Piccolo’s ki was still falling.

“Tch, you are pathetic.” He said as he charged the bolt that would surely be his death.

Piccolo’s ki had become almost nonexistent. “Go-han…” The voice was Piccolo’s yet it was desperate, something his mentor was not.

“Then again.” The black-haired android said, turning towards Piccolo instead. “Maybe this’ll get you angry enough. How about I kill your father’s mentor like I killed him? Will that make you fun to play with?”

Gohan’s eyes widened. He didn’t want to watch, but he his eyes were glued to Piccolo. The light grew before it flew towards Piccolo.

The ki disappeared.

.xxx.

Trunks knew that he was no match for them, yet he still tried. Some days he could hold his own against one, and other days he couldn’t. They always overpowered him in the end though. Why? Why was it always this way? And even now, with the knowledge of Gohan’s son driving him, he still could not defeat them. Was that the reason he kept feeling his old mentor’s ki? Was the rock, the mountainside… were they all indicators that the child had lost? That the child had tried to defend himself?

And, as he fell to the ground, his hair losing the artificial tint, Trunks thought he sensed it again, thought that he felt Gohan’s ki sparking to life, shining golden just like before…

.xxx.

Gohan didn’t know the moment that he had closed his eyes, but when he opened them, he saw yellow. Reality and the twisted world in his mind had given rise to the anger that he pulled out from deep within him. And, even if he knew that Seventeen hadn’t killed Piccolo to rouse him (or perhaps he had, Gohan didn’t know, and didn’t _want_ to know) he wanted to pummel the artificial human to the ground, destroy every piece into oblivion. But… but where was Trunks’ ki? Gohan’s eyes widened. No! They couldn’t have!

His heart raced before he took off towards the ruined city.

(Part of him marvelled just _how fast_ he was.)

The moment he got there, he saw that they were leaving. He glanced down at the smoking metropolis and glared at them.

“Why, look it’s the brat.” Eighteen said with a smirk. “And his hair… it seems that you will get your fun as well Seventeen.”

“I’ll say… it’s almost as if I’m looking into the past. Don’t you remember that glare Eighteen? The one Gohan gave us when we killed all of his comrades? It’s such a pity his father died before we could kill him.” Seventeen responded with _that_ smirk.

Gohan felt his blood boil. “As if you could have killed him.” He rumbled lowly.

“Aww, he even cares for the grandfather he never knew. How adorable.”

Gohan’s emotions were getting the better of him, but, quite frankly, he _just didn’t care._ He charged blindly towards Seventeen.

“Tsk, tsk.” The android said as he held Gohan’s fists and dodged the flying kicks. “You really need some training.”

Yet, this was all Gohan knew. Charge at the enemy with as much rage as you can muster. When Gohan let his anger go, all strategy, all logic seemed to vanish. There was not enough time to hone the anger, not enough to keep a cool head with all of it in tow, not enough to learn to direct it in every punch, every kick.

“You’ve certainly gained strength and speed, but you’re just going berserk. This isn’t fun at all.” Seventeen said before kneeing Gohan in the stomach again and bringing his elbow down on his neck.

Everything else faded. Gohan didn’t even feel his body as it fell down into the rubble of the city.

.xxx.

Trunks pushed himself up. Rocks and debris fell from his body as he rose. He coughed, dust escaping his lungs and he leaned against a street light. The sky was lit in twilight – the sun was setting, or perhaps rising, and he did a quick examination on his body. A few of his ribs were at least bruised – but probably broken if he knew Eighteen. His head was throbbing, and bruises littered his body. At least he had prevented further destruction of the city… usually after they had their fun with him, they left for a few days, perhaps a week or two if he was lucky.

It was almost depressing that he was so accustomed to this, that every time he woke up in the middle of a destroyed city, he didn’t panic. He just _knew_ that he finished a battle with the androids. It took him a little while (especially even more so when he had a concussion) to remember what exactly had happened. And yet, all that he could pick up was that he finally managed to catch the androids this time, and that he was in Parsley City, after weeks of failed attempts.

Yet, there was something else that he knew he should remember, but his head felt foggy and it was painful. He’d remember it eventually.

As he reached into his jacket, he found a small box and it sparked the memory that he was to go training. He had the food, and he always carried a medical kit around with him… With a sigh, Trunks hobbled out of the city. The place that had become their training grounds – Gohan and his – was not too far away. If he could get there and find a place to rest near the river, he could manage recovery and begin his training.

Oh Kami… he felt like he was going to… Trunks leaned over and let out the meal his mother made from him earlier in the day... the sun was setting with the heat that was just starting to dissipate, not increase.

Ugh… he hated it when that happened… and his head just wouldn’t stop hurting…

.xxx.

As Gohan came to, he groaned. He glanced around, panicked at first before settling down. He was just getting accustomed to waking up in a post-apocalyptic world. But… where was he now? His stomach was hurting again, as did his head.

And the memories rushed back to him. He… he had become Super Saiyajin, he had come to Trunks’ rescue, yet where was Trunks? No! He couldn’t be dead! Gohan stood up and forced himself to fly, searching desperately for the unique ki signature, and he found it! There! Not too far away from him! It was weak, it was fluctuating, but it was there! Gohan flew down and landed behind Trunks, only to catch him as he toppled over. “Trunks!” He yelled out, his hand automatically looking for a pulse, and he relaxed once he felt it.

Yet, Gohan was still too weak to carry the other back to the training ground. (He had to avoid civilization, for he could not risk running into the androids right now) Perhaps… maybe…

“Kinto’un!” Gohan yelled and watched the skies. There was no response and Gohan sighed, looking down at the ground, this was going to be a long journey. Yet, just as he was about to lift off the ground, he felt a blast of air next to him. He glanced at the cloud, then at Trunks. Would the cloud let Trunks on? Trunks _was_ Vegeta’s son…Gohan winced as he lifted Trunks onto the cloud… and he didn’t go through. _Perhaps it could be that he’s asleep…_ Gohan thought with relief before joining the man on the cloud. “To the training grounds!” Gohan yelled and held onto the unconscious man as they flew through the skies.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Overwhelmingly lazy, so here’s the next chapter (finally)

“Trunks.”

The lavender-haired prince groaned as he was shook. He didn’t want to get up, his head was killing him, and he saw red through his eyelids. At least the air was cool…

“Trunks!”

Why did that voice sound familiar? Trunks didn’t really know. He liked the voice though.

“Wake up Trunks!”

Oh Kami… his stomach was churning…

He quickly sat up and turned to his left – away from the sound of the voice – and let out the contents of his stomach. What happened to him? He felt like shit.

“Eww….” The voice was male, but it was young and Trunks rubbed his eyes and opened them to see a boy with Gohan’s hair cut, with Gohan’s eyes, and Gohan’s face… except the latter was filled with disgust – an emotion he hardly saw on Gohan’s face. Who was this kid?

“I think you’ve got a concussion, the androids must have hit your head too hard.”

Well, _that_ much was obvious. Wait... where was the city? Oh Kami… no… did they demolish it? He looked around, taking in the familiar geography. No… this place was where Gohan took him training often.

“Here, drink this.” The miniature Gohan said as he lifted something made of stone to his lips. “It’s just water.”

Trunks swallowed wearily. He was tired… his whole body hurt…. His vision darkened, and he thought he swayed a bit.

“Oh no you’re not!” The boy exclaimed. “You’re going to eat first, it’s better if you get something in you, even if you’re going to puke it up later.”

Trunks groaned and a stone bowl and spoon was shoved in front of him. At least it smelled good…

He felt eyes on him, and Trunks sighed before leaning back on the rock behind him and bringing the spoon to his mouth. The spoon was small, obviously made for a child’s mouth. Yet, it reminded him of something… but he’d get back to that later. Thinking just hurt his head.

.xxx.

Gohan sighed as he watched Trunks eat the stew he made. The man seemed really out of it. _Hopefully his concussion gets better… if we have to see Bulma, we cannot run into the androids on the way there._ He thought. It was about the third time Trunks had woken up since Gohan brought them here, but it was just moments of semi-consciousness that only lasted long enough for some water to go into Trunks’ system.

He was a bit worried though, because Trunks didn’t really seem too fazed by it. Hopefully it was just the concussion and not acclimatization. Seeing how his mother acted was hard enough…

As Gohan took the now-finished bowl from Trunks, he heard the man finally speak for the first time since all those years ago.

“Who… are you?”

Yet, before Gohan could answer, he was out like a light.

_If the androids could do this to the man who defeated Frieza so easily…_ Gohan’s stomach clenched… Just obtaining Super Saiyajin still made him so far away from his goal. It was as if he had reached the top and opened the door, only to reach another set of stairs, much steeper than before.

.+++.

A dinosaur’s tail was only so long… Gohan realized as he brought two more slabs of meat towards Trunks. Soon he would have to find another source of food. He heard sounds coming from the other man as he roused.

“Nmmn…” He groaned before sliding back onto the rock and looking around with a wince in his eyes. Then those eyes locked with Gohan’s own, searching his black depths with curiosity. “Who are you?” He asked groggily.

“What do you remember? In the last few weeks I mean.” Gohan said quietly as he poked at the dwindling fire with a stick. Worried. He was worried. For some reason it seemed Trunks didn't remember him… at first, Gohan figured it was the popping in and out of consciousness. But Trunks seemed awake now, and somewhat lucid….

“Well…” Trunks said, not looking away from Gohan. “I remember coming home, then the androids were terrorizing people for weeks – but that isn’t new – yet I could never catch up to them… then they attacked Parsley City and I battled them there, but I lost, as usual. Then I’m here and you’re feeding me soup. I remember thinking I felt Gohan’s ki too… hey why do you look like him?”

Gohan stared at Trunks. Well… okay maybe the best word to describe the man was _loopy_ and perhaps that was complimenting it... When he met Trunks the man was confident, he was composed, he was knowledgeable, mysterious, polite. Yet now, he didn’t seem to be able to concentrate on anything. “Where.” Gohan prompted. “Where did you come back from?”

Trunks tilted his head, his face screwed in contemplation before wincing. “That… I can’t really remember.”

Gohan let out a sigh. Damn it.

(Since _when_ did he start swearing?)

“That’s really weird… I remember leaving, and I remember coming back, but I don’t remember in between… and you still haven’t answered my questions.” Trunks said, regaining most of his consciousness now.

At least Trunks could remember what happened after he passed out… that was always good. But that relief did nothing for his frustration. How could he explain time travel? How could he tell Trunks that he travelled back in time? That he had been caught up in the energies?

(Although, even that too, was a hypothesis. Even though it was one that was strongly supported.)

It seemed that they just might have to go see Bulma. She would be the only one capable of building such a machine after all.

So how? How was he supposed to tell Trunks that he was a seven year old Gohan? So, he simply settled on a response that really wasn't one.

He knew it was rude but…

Trunks’ head was probably already pounding from the trauma, he didn't need confusing hypotheses regarding time travel too.

“Why does it matter?” He mumbled and finally managed to get the fire going again. Next, he stuck the two pieces of meat on sticks and let them cook by the fire.

“Well, it’s kind of rude to ask questions but not answer them. Secondly I don’t know who you are. How do I know you aren’t planning on using me or something?”

His logic seemed intact enough… _Maybe_ he didn’t have to lie. “The androids call me Chibi Gohan, and don’t worry, I hate them. Probably not as much as you – yet – but I still hate them. I’m on your side.”

Trunks tried to wrap his mind around the words. “Chibi Gohan hmm? Well you kinda do look like my… late master. What do you mean by yet though? It’s almost as if you expect them to do something.”

Why did it seem ironic that it was he who held all the answers now? That he was the mysterious one? If it weren’t for Trunks, he wouldn’t even be here. Why did Trunks go back in time anyway? All he wanted to do was talk to Goku… But, Gohan gave Trunks a weak smile. “You’re older than me, you’ve known them longer than I have.”

“I suppose you’re right. But Chibi, why won’t you tell me who you are?” He winced after the statement, leaning against the rock behind him.

“Just call me Chibi.” Gohan insisted. He didn’t want to tell a lie…

There was a sad frown on Trunks’ face and he moved to get up. What for, Gohan never found out, for he started coughing and holding his ribs. “Chibi, I have a medical kit in my jacket, Capsule 110 I believe, there should be some bandages to bind my chest. I…” Trunks winced and relaxed back on the rock. “I think some of my ribs are broken.”

Gohan almost slapped his face. How could he have forgotten about the capsules! He scrambled over and pulled out two cases. In one, there was a missing capsule, and the other was completely full. It was in the first that he found the capsule and he pressed down on the compress before rolling it away. A puff of smoke flashed before the medical kit appeared and he went over to grab it, bringing it over to Trunks’ side.

“Can you help me with my shirt Chibi?”

The boy from the past nodded and shuffled over to support Trunks with one arm as he leaned up from the rock. With his other hand, he pulled up the black shirt. It was a little difficult and slow, but he supposed that was better – the less he moved Trunks, the less damage would have to heal.

Gohan felt eyes on him, and as he moved his eyes up, he was met with Trunks’ heated gaze. Gohan squirmed; the look in those blue eyes was making him uncomfortable. He recognised that look though, it was the look his parents had in their eyes when they looked at each other. Gohan didn’t know how to feel though, now that it was aimed at him, did he like it or was it something he didn’t want? _Don’t worry about it, it’s probably only his concussion._ Gohan reasoned and tore his eyes away. Then, he pulled Trunks towards him, almost in an embrace, so that he leaned against Gohan, and that Gohan had both hands free. He grabbed the bandages from the kit and began to bind Trunks’ ribs.

The warrior’s breath was slow – almost laboured – and hot against Gohan’s neck. “Gohan…”

The name was whispered and made the boy freeze. Did Trunks figure it out?

Then muscled arms wrapped around his body. “I missed you.”

It was the concussion, Gohan concluded. “T-Trunks.” He whimpered, Trunks was making him uneasy. It didn’t feel bad, but it didn’t feel good either. It just felt… weird. He wanted to get out of this position, wanted Trunks to be a good patient and let his ribs be bound, but what could he say? He couldn’t lie. He _was_ Gohan, but at the same time he _wasn’t_. However, when something warm and fleshy pressed against his neck, Gohan couldn’t help but react and he shoved Trunks away from his body with his eyes wide from shock. _Wh-What was that! What did Trunks just do?_ The Son mentally screamed and hugged his own body. That just didn’t feel right. He looked up to see Trunks groaning against the rock, his head slumped and Gohan’s eyes widened. “Trunks! Are you alright? Can you hear me? Oh Kami, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to! It’s just–”

_It’s just… what?_

“It’s alright Chibi, it was my fault.” Trunks said with a grin through his pain. “I thought you were someone else.”

Gohan shuffled over to the man who would be his pupil, who _was_ his pupil. “Did I hurt you? Did you hit your head?”

“Nah, you just rattled my back. It’s nothing I can’t handle.”

Why…. Why did those words sadden him? _And to think that I left him here, I left him all alone…_ The boy turned around and moved over to the dinosaur tail slices cooking by the fire before he realized something, and so he voiced it. “Hey, Trunks… do you think you could eat solid food? I could make the soup I made last night, cause… well you were puking yesterday.”

Yet, Trunks didn’t respond. Instead his eyes wandered over to the stone cutlery that he made as a child. “Those look like… hey Chibi where’d you get those?”

Gohan bit his lip as he turned the meat around. Apparently he showed the other the cutlery, not to mention there was another set that he knew he didn’t make. “Um, hidden under the rock you’re lying on?” He tried.

Trunks was wary and suspicious as he looked at Gohan. “How long have I been out?”

“You passed out yesterday afternoon.” Gohan said neutrally. “I brought you here.”

“ _You?_ ” The prince said in disbelief. “It’s a day’s walk from Parsley City and you’re telling me you carried me over here before the morning? I remember waking up and it was dark…”

Gohan sighed. “A day’s walk, yes, but thirty minutes by air. And beside you were already out of the city when I found you.” Gohan glanced over towards the forgotten stone utensils. “But enough of that, do you want the soup? It’ll taste better if I cook it now before the meat is finished.”

“Capsule Corporation doesn’t make aircrafts anymore so nobody travels by air anymore. They wouldn’t anyway, with the androids and especially not just after an attack. _Who_ are you? You’ve been avoiding that question all day Chi…bi…” Trunks’ gaze seemed to go blank before his face contorted in pain and he held his head. Then he gasped, apparently oblivious to his broken ribs. “No…” The words were soft, they were in disbelief, but not the disbelief of realization. No, it was as if he didn’t want to believe. His right arm crossed his body as it clutched at his chest and his left wrapped around his waist and he curled over.

Gohan watched this, wide eyes before he scrambled over to Trunks, laying a hand at his back. “Trunks! What’s wrong?”

“You…” The word sounded hateful, accusing. “You’re Gohan’s kid, aren’t you!”


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, here's the beginning of a whack load of updates. Finally finished editing all my old chapters so I'm now working on new ones :D

Anger. Anger. That was the first thing he felt.

It snapped at him, it growled. It ate away at him.

A child. Gohan had a **child.**

(And it hurt. Oh _Kami_ did it hurt. It tore at his heart, hurting in ways that broken bones never could. But the pain shrunk in the presence of this overwhelming **anger.** )

How could he have forgotten that! Kami… his chest hurt and it wasn’t because his ribs were broken. The wounds that had been opened before but closed by memory were torn anew. So, so _this_ was the kid that the androids encountered! _This_ was the boy formed by his teacher and some… some _girl._ _This_ was the boy who held Gohan’s genes, _this_ was the sole survivor of the Son line! He wouldn’t go so low as to call the child a bastard though, seeing that he, too, was one. His eyes narrowed as he glared up at the boy he learned to call _Chibi_ and saw as he froze, as the child had withdrawn his hand looked away guiltily. He knew it. Their looks, their mannerisms, their ki, their smell, and even their _taste_ was the same. “How old are you?” He deserved to know, he deserved to find out if Gohan had truly betrayed him.

“Seven…” The boy said meekly. “I just turned seven.”

Trunks winced, he felt tears come but he forced them away. He remembered back then, when he had just turned nine a week prior and Gohan was turning eighteen in a few hours… that was when Trunks had given Gohan an early gift – his first kiss. That was when they passed the line from mentor-and-student, brothers, father-and-son, best friends, to boyfriends. And unless the woman had an unusual carrying time, there was no way that Gohan could have remained loyal to him.

“Trunks… what’s wrong? Did I bind your ribs wrong? Did I knock them out of place? Is it your concussion?” Chibi asked as his eyes wandered Trunks’ body for injuries. He reached out to help.

No! He couldn’t allow it. This kid! This kid was the proof the Gohan wasn’t loyal to him! Was it because Gohan didn’t have enough faith in him? Was it because he thought that Trunks would fail? The Saiyajin prince slapped the small hand away and continued to glare into those big, black eyes. “Don’t touch me!” He yelled, but his ribs wouldn’t let him ignore them anymore as he yelped and fell forward. Fuck they hurt!

And yet, his words were not heeded as the boy lifted him and moved him to lie against the rock again. He glanced at the stone set and realized Gohan must have shown the boy it, and… why was the boy wearing Saiyajin armour? Did Gohan have some stashed away somewhere? Then, those cursed small hands grabbed a pot before collecting some water and placing it over the fire. Next, he used the knives to cut the partially-cooked meat into the pot before he turned around.

“I’m going to get some herbs.”

Chibi’s voice sounded neutral, and if he was hiding anger behind those lips, he was hiding it well, because Trunks couldn’t tell.

.xxx.

What was up with Trunks! Gohan glared at the herbs that he went out to pick. After guessing that he was his own son, Trunks started to treat him horribly!

And then, when Gohan displayed concern, the man slapped his hand away! How could Trunks be his student and yet direct so much anger towards whom he thought Gohan’s son was! If was as if the prince hated Gohan, and hated him for being his own supposed son! Yet Trunks even admitted to missing him! _How?_ Gohan couldn’t understand it! If Piccolo had a son, Gohan wouldn’t treat the boy like Trunks was treating him, especially of Piccolo was dead. No, Gohan would cherish the child, raise him, and tell him stories of his father…

But as the Son carefully plucked the herbs (they never tasted good if he yanked them from the ground) his anger blinded him from whatever obvious truth there was.

.+++.

When Gohan returned, the pot was beginning to bubble and his irritation at Trunks was hidden. “It’ll be done in five minutes.” Gohan said but avoided the other’s gaze. He would not look into the anger that was in those blue eyes.

And it seemed that Trunks decided to be silent and ignore him as well. Good, that suited Gohan. The boy sprinkled the herbs into the water and stirred it. He knew that the soup wouldn’t taste great (he was supposed to let the herbs sit in the water, bring it to a boil and add partially cooked meat in last) but he forgot about Trunks’ stomach earlier. He should have made the man eat solid food and let him puke it up – but that was rude and his mother always told him to mind his manners no matter what. Though, he reasoned, it probably didn’t apply to people who were trying to kill him, but since Trunks wasn’t trying to that exception didn’t work. Instead, the man just hated Gohan for being his own child – for being something he was not. It was infuriating but manners must be minded. _As long as he remains quiet anyway…._ Gohan thought with a glance over to the man.

…Who was simply looking at the pot of food. Oh well, it was better than glaring at him anyway. Gohan glanced over at the food and deemed it ready. He dipped one bowl in before giving it, and a spoon, to Trunks. Next, he grabbed another bowl – Trunks probably made his own since Trunks knew about the stone set, and Gohan only made one in his time – and filled it with more soup.

“Hey, you’ve got my bowl.” Trunks said spitefully.

“And you’ve got Gohan’s.” Gohan said and used the spoon to begin eating, but after a spoonful he continued. “You said you missed him so you can use it.”

“Did I give you permission to use mine?” The blue-eyed man snapped back.

“Then let me use Gohan’s.”

“No, make your own!”

Gohan’s eyebrow twitched. “I–” He started but realized _I did_ would just confuse Trunks. “I own what is Gohan’s.” He said instead. It was the truth, and even to Trunks’ ears it would be sound.

The blue eyes iced over in pure hatred. “You! You think you can waltz in and take things? Oh hell **no!** Just because you’re his son doesn’t entitle you to everything! You need to earn it brat!” Here, Gohan saw a smirk that Trunks had inherited from his father. “And I know of one thing that was – is – his and you’ll never get it!”

Gohan’s eyes flowered. “I have to earn it? Earn a _bowl?_ Earn his power? Is that what you’re trying to tell me?” He knew he was letting his temper get the better of him but he didn’t care.

Trunks laughed. “ _Everything_ Chibi.”

Here, Gohan put down his bowl and stood up. “And your respect is on that list too? I suppose saving your life isn’t enough huh? What is it that you have against me anyway? Or is it that you’ve got something against Gohan? Is it because Gohan died? Is that why you hate me?” However, something felt wrong. He couldn’t control his anger, it was slipping from his grasp. What was wrong! Even his mouth wouldn’t stop! “I don’t understand you! I wouldn’t dishonour my mentor’s memory by treating his son like garbage!” Why was Gohan’s body glowing and his hair standing up? Why was his ki rapidly rising? Why couldn’t he control it?”

“What…”

Why was Trunks surprised? Why was he getting dizzy? Why was he…

.xxx.

Trunks stared at the boy. He had… he had just turned Super Saiyajin. _But **how?** He’s only a quarter Saiyajin! Yet, now I **do** know that he’s Gohan’s son… a mere human could not do that, and Gohan and I were the only Saiyajins living when the boy was born._ Trunks pushed himself up into a standing position – slowly and solemnly. Even so, it still hurt but it was something that he could deal with. He had dealt with worse.

The kid’s words also rung in his head, the ones yelled in anger and confusion, and they made him think. The child was mad, but he had made some sense, and it made Trunks feel bad. _Why_ was he treating Chibi the way he was? Because Trunks didn’t notice it before, because he proved that Gohan wasn’t loyal, because he gave Gohan a _reason_ to be disloyal? Those reasons didn’t sit well with him. The child was as much of a chooser of his parents as he was of his black eyes. And even though Trunks was unable to chose his own fate – that was decided because of who his father was – he had to follow it for the fate of the entire world depended on it, _this_ was different because he was judging Chibi and he was treating him horribly solely based on _who_ his father was. Chibi was right... it was Gohan whom he should be mad at, not his son! Chibi deserved an apology – that is if he would accept it. If he didn’t, Trunks would understand because he was being an absolute prick to Chibi.

The lavender-haired warrior sighed and looked at the unconscious child. He just couldn’t… leave him there on the ground could he? Chibi had to have been sleeping somewhere. Trunks glanced around and saw a makeshift bed of leaves and grass and proceeded to pick the child up and carry him over to the bed. Next, he walked over to some bushes nearby and relieved himself before he returned to his spot by the river and against the rock.

Chibi was a very unusual character. For he was reluctant to reveal that he was Gohan’s son, he called Gohan by name and not _father_ or _dad_ or any other familiar terms. It confused Trunks, and he wondered why that was? Was Chibi ashamed at being Gohan’s son, and is only now accepting that fact and abusing it to get back at his old man? Or was the child just estranged from his father and only knew him as Gohan, only could think of him as that and not as a father? There was also the way the child spoke – cryptic, calculated, cautious – almost as if he was hiding something, trying to dance around a series of steps that could uncover his secret if he slipped up. Chibi was awful mysterious as well since Trunks only knew a select few facts that he could number off on one hand while the child seemed to be far more knowledgeable about _him._

Could it be when the boy had found him after the android attack? Trunks couldn’t remember anything after falling to his defeat to waking up by the river and puking his guts out, and he’d probably never be able to recollect that time, concussions tended to do that. Did he talk up a storm? Did the child hear rumours? Did the androids tell Gohan’s son, or was it Gohan himself who did the talking?

Yet, there was something that continued to bother him – that he could not remember where he had gone a few weeks ago, and something told him that wasn’t right. Did he get a concussion there too? He didn’t even remember how he left or even what he said when he returned except that he had just simply returned. And now his head was hurting even more so than before, it was throbbing, it felt like it was going to explode. Perhaps he’d just eat some soup and sleep. Sleep sounded like a good idea, because whenever he thought about where he went before, his head acted up, or at least more than usual. Trunks massaged his temples, trying to will the pain away.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Gohan woke up to the sound of somebody vomiting and the fresh stench of stomach acid. Why was it that Gohan always woke up to the scent of blood, bile, or other bodily fluids? The sad thing was that he was accustomed to it. The seven-year old pushed himself up and glanced over at the lavender-haired prince who was puking _yet again._

The sun said it was about noon and Gohan noticed that he was on his make-shift bed. His stomach growled and he glanced over to his surely-cold bowl of soup.

 _Wait a minute!_ Gohan thought and glanced back at Trunks. “You moved me?” He realized.

The man turned around to look at Gohan apologetically before nausea took over and he turned back to vomit.

 _Is my cooking **that** bad?_ Gohan thought with worry. As Trunks continued to be sick, the younger boy thought back to the reason why he passed out. It was almost as if he had changed into a Super Saiyajin again. But why? Was it because he was angry? That made no sense, it wasn’t even really angry, it was nothing compared to what had unlocked the ability.

“Chibi, I apologize.”

Gohan turned back to Trunks again. He what?

“I’m sorry for treating you like that, it wasn’t fair. I was just taking my anger out on you.”

Gohan smiled. How could he stay mad at that? It was mean, and it wasn’t fair, and Gohan didn’t know why Trunks got mad, but he apologized so it was fine. “It’s alright.” Gohan said and his stomach growled again.

Trunks stood up with a wince and he walked over to his jacket before he pulled out the capsule cases and tossed a capsule over to Gohan. “Catch. Mother gave me about a month’s worth of food. I was supposed to go training after I battled the androids.”

Gohan caught the capsule before activating it, “Why do you continually fight with them even though you know you’re going to lose?” He asked sadly, walking over to a fridge that looked very similar to the one Trunks used in the past for drinks.

The man tossed another capsule over to a nearby rock and walked over to it and opened the fridge that appeared. His head tilted at the contents before he moaned in pain and a hand clenched at his head. Quickly, Trunks closed his eyes, grabbed a drink at what seemed to be random and slammed the door of the fridge shut. He sat down and leaned against the rock before he responded, his voice a bit strained. “If I can distract the androids enough for even a child to run away, if I can amuse them enough to stop them for a few hours, days, or even weeks, it’s worth it. I can buy time.

Gohan had his _own_ reaction to the appearance and contents of the fridge so he did not really notice Trunks’ reaction. He remembered reaching into that same fridge, grabbing one of those cans, and knocking another over accidentally. His eyes zoned in and low-and-behold it was there, on its side like Gohan left it. Yet before he could think on it, the man had responded to his question.

And the words spoken dampened Gohan’s spirits. How could Trunks live like this? How could the world have come to this? One day, Trunks would not be so lucky, one day the androids would become bored of him and they’d kill him. Just as they killed Gohan – his persona in this time. “That’s… That’s just so sad…” Gohan muttered. This world was so sad, so dangerous, so scary.

“But it’s the only thing that I can do.” Trunks said and winced before he clutched his head again. “Hopefully this training will make me stronger, and maybe I’ll be able to destroy them at last.”

Gohan looked at Trunks. How he wanted to help him, but… but… if he could prevent it would it not change Trunks’ time as well? _Did it work that way? If so… right now nothing is changing, then I have to get stronger if that is the case, and I have to get back to my own time to change it!_

“Chibi, I’ve noticed that you can change – that you have obtained Super Saiyajin. I did not think that was possible, yet you proved me wrong. However, you cannot control it right now.”

As Gohan grabbed a meal kit from the fridge, he sat down and looked at Trunks in curiosity. “I can’t control it?” He asked. Seventeen said something similar – blind rage. Yet that was all he learned from Piccolo, he learned how to use it. Wasn’t that enough? “What do you mean?”

“Once you unlock the ability you must be able to lock it in a box, you must be able to open it at will, use it and direct it. You cannot let the rage control you.” Here, Trunks opened his can and took a sip out of it. “This morning, when you were mad at me, you triggered it. Yet, you were not prepared, you were exhausted, and so you fainted. Master Gohan had told me that once you reached Super Saiyajin you have surpassed your limits. In order to control these limits, in order to make _new_ limits you must train. He also said that even if you train, there still are drawbacks: you become emotional, there is an increased desire to fight, however I think our human blood dilutes that...”

Gohan didn’t even have to hear what Trunks said next, he already knew, The Son could never forget his father’s expression, his blue-green eyes, his voice on Namek. They were harsher, almost _angry._ It was as if his dad was a completely different person. Even though Goku had worn his heart on his sleeve, even though his father was a happy person, he wasn’t an emotional one. While Vegeta displayed anger and pride, Goku displayed happiness and humour. All other emotions seemed to be nonexistent – fear, sorrow, disappointment…

“So Chibi.” Trunks continued. “You must learn to direct that anger, that rage, you need to channel it. Mediation helps.” Here, the prince smiled. “It is perhaps the only thing I can show you right now in my state. Once my ribs heal I can help some more.”

Gohan shook his head. “I already know, and I also know battle simulations. So tell me, Trunks, what must I do?”

.xxx.

Trunks’ eyes widened at Chibi’s words. This kid seemed well trained, yet how could he be? He was only seven, and Gohan would have had only two or three years with the boy, his _first_ two or three years. Even then, Gohan had been training _him_ during that time. Perhaps – jealous reared its ugly head in again – Perhaps Gohan taught the woman whom he mated? A scowl formed on the prince’s features and he chugged the remainder of the can and tossed it roughly to the side. He had to calm down, he couldn’t snap at something the child could not be faulted for. He really had to get used to being in Chibi’s presence.

.+++.

It took a few days for Trunks’ ribs to heal (was he ever grateful for the Saiyajin recovery rate) yet, his headache didn’t cease – nor the vomiting.

“Trunks?” Chibi asked him. “Are you sure you’re fine? I mean even your ribs healed but you’re still puking.”

The child was still a mystery to him. He knew so many things that he shouldn’t have learned without training and schooling, he knew a lot of terms and knowledge that would be almost impossible for somebody his age to attain now, and it mystified the prince. After another lurch of his stomach, Trunks rinsed his mouth out with water. “My concussion hasn’t healed yet, that’s all. Brain matter probably takes longer to heal.”

For the most part, Chibi was quiet. Often, however, he stared at Trunks, and it was starting to unnerve the man. Did he… did he scare Gohan’s kid when he mistook Chibi for his father? He hoped not!

“My d-” Chibi started but shook his head. “Never mind, I forgot about that.”

Trunks dismissed the child’s slipup. Instead, he sighed and glanced up at the sky. Trunks could feel Gohan’s ki in the child as he mediated. It was unnerving. How could their ki be almost identical? If Trunks didn’t know any better, he would have sworn that ki was Gohan’s.

He knew that he could not push himself too hard with the concussion still unhealed – especially since his symptoms didn’t seem to let up. The androids must have gotten him good. His memory had not returned either – the memory of where he went last month. His partially empty fridge of drinks also seemed to be connected to those memories, because whenever he thought about where those drinks went…

 _Ouch!_ Why was his vision swimming? Trunks glanced over at Chibi and an image was superimposed over and around the boy. His hair was longer and looked just like Gohan’s when it wasn’t cut for awhile. There were people whom he didn’t know personally standing around the boy, ones that he knew the names of but only because of the pictures in his living room. There was Goku, Krillin, Tenshihan, Chiaotzu, Piccolo, Yamcha, Puar and even his father – Vegeta. His mother was there too, and her hairstyle was like how his grandmother used to have her hair and she was standing near Yamcha. _Oh Kami!_ It felt like his head was splitting in two, it felt like his body was on fire! Then he felt, and saw nothing.


	9. Chapter 9

Gohan yelled as Trunks’ body started convulsing and ran towards the man. What was wrong? What was wrong! “Kinto’un!” Gohan screamed out. What was he supposed to do! Why was Trunks twitching! He shouldn’t be twitching right? Gohan jumped on top of Trunks and moved his hands and legs to hold down the flailing limbs, but the man was too strong. In his panic, he charged up and he transformed into a Super Saiyajin and it worked! He held down Trunks firmly, that was until Trunks’ body had the same idea and _his_ hair turned golden and he threw Gohan off. Then, the prince’s ki began to rapidly flash on and off and his hair had yellow and purple pulsing through it in horizontal streaks.

And Gohan watched with wide, horrified eyes. What was he supposed to do? Was Trunks going to be alright? Long, long… Trunks’ body was flailing for _so_ long… (Or, it at least felt like it. Felt like it took _forever_ for the convulsions to stop as Gohan stood there, helpless…) Finally, when it stopped - when Trunks stopped - Gohan approached the unconscious warrior once more. “Trunks?... Trunks?” He asked quietly.

And the prince did respond, but nothing coherently. The words were slurred and half formed. Gohan bit his lips. _I need to take him to Bulma… she would know what happened to him._ “Hold on Trunks, stay awake, I’ll be right back!” He said and ran around, tidying up their camp before he ran back over to Trunks. “Trunks, you still with me?”

“Who? What?”

Gohan sighed in relief. _At least he’s forming words again._ He moved and picked up Trunks – whose hair had reverted back to its natural lavender colour. “I’m taking you home.” He explained and floated up onto the orange cloud that had come down from the skies. “To Capsule Corp Kinto’un.” Gohan said and held Trunks against him just like when he carried Trunks on the cloud before. Even though he had the strength to fly, he was too small to carry Trunks the entire way – in a way that wouldn’t possibly damage the other anyway.

“Gohan? Why’re you-- yet small...” Trunks said, but his words were slurring together. Still, it was much better than before. “Why’re….you….Super Saiyaji-?”

“You call me Chibi, Trunks.” Gohan reminded him.

“Why do I… Chibi? You’re older.” The lavender-haired man _giggled_. “That makes no sense!”

There most definitely was something wrong with Trunks. He was giddy – an emotion that Gohan had never seen in the man before.

“Gohan~” Trunks sung out his name, and there was a tone to match that look. That look that made him uncomfortable. And then he leaned in close - _too close_ and Gohan had to spare a hand to push the other away.

“Gohan…” Whining. Trunks was _whining_ now. Whining and pouting and… “Come _on_ Gohan! It’s not like we haven’t kissed before!”

_Kiss?_ And suddenly _that look_ was starting to make _a lot_ a sense, but Gohan pushed that information aside for now. Right now he needed to concentrate on getting a _very sick_ Trunks back to Capsule Corp. Although he should… probably dissuade the other from trying to _kiss_ him again.

Perhaps he could state a fact and make it seem like an answer? He didn’t want to but… “You’re sick.” He said. “Or I think so. I’m taking you home so Bulma can make sure.”

“Aww…” Trunks whined. “Fine!”

And Gohan’s arms had to secure their grasp on the older demi as Kinto’un suddenly decided it wouldn’t support the son of Vegeta anymore. “Kinto’un!” Gohan whined. This was going to be a long trip...

.+++.

“Bulma.” Gohan said as he supported Trunks at the door. He knocked again. “Bulma…”

When the woman – complaining at the impatience of kids these days – opened the door Gohan almost had to support _another_ person but she caught herself on the doorframe.

“G-Gohan?” Her voice shook in fear, disbelief, and shock.

“I’ll um… explain later, but something is wrong with Trunks. I think the androids did something bad to him this time.”

Why did the words _this time_ seem so depressing to Gohan?

“Okay, just come on in you two, we’ll run some tests on him.” Bulma said and lit a cigarette.

“But I don’t wanna have tests run Mother!” Trunks whined.

She almost lost her smoke as she gaped with wide eyes at her son and then at a child Gohan.

“He only started acting like this after he started twitching and flailing...” Gohan supplied the answer to the question that she was more than likely wondering.

“He had a seizure! Kami!” She exclaimed before pulling Trunks along behind her.

_A seizure? I’ve heard of those… was that what that was?_ Gohan wondered as he followed Bulma into her lab.

When all the tests were run and done, Bulma sighed with a puff of smoke. “He still has signs of a concussion – however that isn’t what _directly_ caused the seizure. Trunks has a blood clot in an artery in the brain. The damage to his head probably caused both the concussion and the blood clot. All I can do is give him some medication to help wear it down. I don’t see anything too serious with it unless it doesn’t wear down but hopefully it will – it shouldn’t take too long. We just need to let his Saiyajin blood kick in and he’ll be fine.” Then, she turned over to Gohan. “Now, could you perhaps explain who you are? You’re a dead-knock for Gohan when he was a kid, and you’ve even got the Saiyajin blood.” She said and touched a golden lock.

“Oops… I guess I forgot about that.” Gohan said before he returned to his powered down. Then he looked over to the unconscious Trunks before back up at Bulma. “I suppose I can tell you. I look like a kid Gohan because I _am_ a kid Gohan.”

“What? That’s impossible! The dragon balls are just rocks unless – did the Namekseijins revive you? No, that can’t be. Did you confuse your words, that would mean that Gohan…”

Gohan slapped his hand to his face. “I know what I said Bulma. I’m a seven year old Gohan. I… I think I got caught in the time portal Trunks made when he came back here.”

Bulma ran a hand through her hair. “That klutz…”

“Is there… is there any way I can go back?” Gohan asked quietly.

“I’m sorry to say, but not at this moment. However, in about five months you will be able to. The time machine requires a lot of energy to charge.”

Gohan’s eyes widened. Five months? _Five months!_ He had to wait another one hundred and fifty days? In this time? In this world? No… He didn’t want to be here any longer! He wanted to go home! He wanted to go back to the time where it was safe, to where his mother yelled at him for getting twelve-times-twelve wrong, to where she forced him to do calligraphy instead of train, to where Piccolo was alive, to where his dad was! Gohan hugged himself as he slid down the wall. Would he live that long?

If he hadn’t met the androids, Gohan may have lasted that long, but now they knew who he was (or so they thought) and he knew who they were. How could he last that long, knowing that they were looking forward to their next meeting, that they wanted to beat him to an inch of his life only to toss him away, just so they could do it all over again?

How did the people of Earth live this way? How did Trunks? Perhaps what had scared him the most though was that in five months and three years, he’d have to meet them again, meet them for the first time, and watch them kill everybody he loved. And then start everything all over again…

.xxx.

Kami, his head was killing him. At least he was on a bed. Wait, a bed? Trunks shot up and glanced around. He was in his room but why? The last thing he could remember was being in the training grounds with Chibi. No… that wasn’t it. Trunks flushed slightly as he remembered that he treated Chibi like Gohan _again_ , that he tried to kiss the child, that he acted _like a child._ Why did he act like that? He had to apologize.

As the prince got out of bed, he noticed a glass of water, a bottle of pills and a note with instructions and an explanation.

_I have a blood clot in my brain? I had a seizure? Kami… no wonder why my head won’t stop hurting._ Trunks sighed but took the mediation and downed the water. He then sensed for Chibi, and noticed that he was in the kitchen while his mother was in the workshop. The prince headed towards the kitchen – he was hungry anyway.

“Chibi… I’m uh… sorry…” He said awkwardly at the doorway, not really looking at Gohan’s son. He heard nothing, no shuffling, no grunts. Was the boy asleep? Trunks glanced over to the mini-Gohan to see him staring off into space. Yet, his facial expression seemed torn, lost, sad, and _fearful._ Trunks understood. “Alright, I’ll leave you alone. I can understand–”

“No.” Chibi said firmly but continued off into a murmur. “It’s not that. You don’t have to go.”

If it wasn’t him, then _what_ exactly had Chibi so down? What made his voice sound so monotonously _sad?_ The lavender-haired man sat down next to the boy who looked at him with those big black Son eyes. They were filled with a lost hope – _fear_ – and Trunks just wanted to hold Chibi close and tell him that everything would be fine.

“The…” The boy hesitated. “The way you phrased things Trunks, were you and Gohan… together?”

The man stared at Chibi. How could he tell the boy that his father was in a relationship with another _man_ , that he had loved another person who was not his mother? “W-Wha? Oh, no, there’s–”

“The **truth** Trunks.” Why did Chibi sound so much like his father when he found Trunks lying? Why did he seem to have the same grip Gohan had on him?

The prince looked down. “Yes, Chibi, yes we were together. I loved him, I still love him.”

“What about Gohan?”

Here Trunks flinched. “I-I don’t know anymore…” Yet at the look Chibi had on his face, that would not be enough – he wanted facts, not opinions. Well, kid deserved to know… “He told me he loved me.”

The boy looked down at his hands again in what seemed contemplation, although instead of on his lap, they were chest level and palm up. “I’m sorry Trunks.” He said solemnly and walked away.

.xxx.

It all made sense now – why Trunks seemed to hate him, why Trunks looked him at the way he did, why Trunks did the things he did… but Gohan didn’t know what to think of it. Gohan was only seven years old, and yet his life’s story was being laid out right in front of him. He was being told that he would lose his father, his friends, his limb, and his life; he was being told whom he would battle, train and love. And now, Gohan didn’t know who he was. Was he the Gohan who slept beside his father in eternal sleep? If not… then _who_ was he? He was the Gohan who stepped into the future, the Gohan who achieved Super Saiyajin earlier – yet was he also connected to the Gohan here? Did what he do now change the future – the present – the past? Was he going to be the Gohan of this _now?_

What was what? Gohan just didn’t – couldn’t – know anymore…


	10. Chapter 10

Gohan didn’t know why Trunks said nothing in context to the avoidance he was giving the prince all week. Perhaps the other thought he had scared Gohan off, but that was not the case. No, Gohan didn’t go near Trunks because it was _he_ who felt guilty, _he_ who felt ashamed – and most likely Trunks would not know his reason (nor the reason he apologized), since Trunks didn’t know _who_ Gohan was.

The child now knew why lying was bad – it hurt people – and while he didn’t lie per se, what he was doing wasn’t much better. He was letting Trunks believe that the future Gohan had cheated on him, to be pained by that knowledge, and yet if he told the truth, it would hurt Trunks - _physically._ (Gohan knew. He knew that a child had both a mother and a father. And so, in order for _his child_ to be born… he would have had to have a _girlfriend_. Or something like that…)

Bulma had hypothesized that the blood clot was suppressing Trunks’ memory, and once she talked with her son, he had just lent more support to the cause.

But lying was not the real, main reason he couldn’t face Trunks. No, it was because of what he was _going_ to do. He was going to leave his future love alone in this world, and that just wasn’t right. How could he face the man with that knowledge? How could he face the man whom he would hurt?

Was this how Piccolo felt when he sacrificed his body for Gohan’s? No, it couldn’t be… Piccolo knew that Gohan would revive him, Piccolo knew that he was going to live again.

Why did he do that? It was a question that frequented the child’s mind. Was it because Trunks’ life was in danger? Was it because he was protecting his pupil? Did he just run out of luck? Was he too stupid to realize? Or was it for a darker reason?

Gohan shook his head. It couldn’t be that. Although, he didn’t know how this world would change him over the years. Already, he was changing. Fear – something that seemed to be just a trickle before – had exploded into his life, it broke the dam and he flowed with it, he went where it took him. The rapids were raging, and every time he thought of overcoming the hasty, dangerous waters, he was driven back by another wave of fright. Here he didn’t just fear for his life. No, he already _knew_ that he would die, and that was more terrifying than a ki blast aimed for his heart with a possibility to dodge the deadly blast. No, it was because he _knew_ that he would never dodge that blast in the end, that his death was inevitable, that his time really _was_ limited, that he had the knowledge of where the clock stopped. That he had knowledge that in the end, after trying, and trying and hoping, he _wouldn’t succeed_ in the end...

And that fear was not the only change – no he had become what he never thought he would become: he became a liar, he became a ghost of the past, he became a toy for the enemy.

So… it wasn’t all that inconceivable that he could walk a darker path…

Ki’s beginning to vanish and weaken off in the distance distracted Gohan from his thoughts and he looked up, towards the source. _The androids!_ He thought and shot up.

Next, Trunks’ ki became to rise, and Gohan rushed over to where the still-sick demi was. “You’re not going Trunks.” He said firmly.

“Like hell!” The Saiyajin prince objected.

“Trunks, you’re in no shape to fight them, you still haven’t recovered from the last battle!” Bulma added.

“What about those people Mother? Am I just going to let them die over a stupid blood clot? I think not!”

_And if you die, there will be no fighter that is a natural part of this world Trunks._ Gohan thought and turned around. “I’ll go. They won’t kill me.”

“Chibi!” Trunks called after him.

“No.” Gohan turned, determination in his eyes as he stood at the door. “You stay here.” _It’s the least that I can do._ The child took off in flight and towards the disappearance of ki.

.+++.

“Oh, it’s just you.” Seventeen said in a bored manner and fired an energy beam into the burning town.

“Oh?” Gohan said with a glare. _Control it Gohan! Don’t let the rage control you!_ He forced down the building anger, pushed it down and tried to hone it. Then, he took the key and unlocked his powers, letting it envelope him – but not dominate him. “Disappointed are you?”

“I don’t want to fight blind rage. Directed rage, yes. Now _that’s_ amusing.”

Gohan appeared behind the android and threw a punch. He could do this! Focus! Focus! “I’m not as wild as before.”

He saw Seventeen smirk as he caught the fist. “We’ll see how long that lasts.” He challenged and returned the punch, but Gohan caught it – and almost winced.

The man – _cyborg_ – was still playing with him, but he owed this to Trunks. He hurt the other, he left the other, and now, he would play hero for the man whom he was destined to love.

Feet and arms were aimed, dodged, caught, and connected. They had only damaged one party though – Gohan could not land a single blow on the artificial human. And while two blue-coloured eyes often met, confidence and amusement were only in one pair, while the green-tinted ones began to droop in exhaustion and pain.

Seventeen was just playing, he didn’t put any effort, and here Gohan was, slowing and weakening. How could he be so strong? Gohan was a Super Saiyajin… and yet!

“Sorry to interrupt Seventeen, but I think you’ve played with your dolly long enough. This town is getting boring.”

And yet… he couldn’t even hinder the other sibling while she went on her own personal rampage! He was pathetic! He was weak! He was useless! Then, he heard what she called him and it was the final spark that lit his already-short fuse. “D-Dolly?” His eyes narrowed and he charged at Eighteen.

But she was already ahead of him as she dodged his raging fists.

“Blind rage.” She simply stated before letting her fist connect with Gohan’s stomach – why was it always there – and knocking him out with a new surge of pain.

.xxx.

Trunks felt it – he felt Chibi’s ki suddenly and rapidly decline. “Chibi!” He exclaimed and stopped his pacing. He had to go! He had to help!

Sure Chibi said that the androids wouldn’t kill him, but Eighteen was the more logical and persuasive one of the pair. If she got it in her head that Chibi – _Gohan’s child_ – had to die, sooner or later the boy wouldn’t have a chance.

“Trunks?” His mother asked at his lack of movement and exclamation. “Did something happen to G-Chibi?”

Trunks was accustomed to his mother’s slipups. Apparently even Chibi confused his mother with his appearance. The teen nodded though. “Yeah, his ki just plummeted.” He couldn’t stay here! He needed to go and help Chibi! “I’ve got to go! Chibi needs me!”

“Oh no you–” Bulma protested as her son bolted for the door and she shook her head. “You never listen when it comes to those androids…”

Trunks sped toward the place that the androids were. Even while Chibi was busy with one, there still were ki’s vanishing. Chibi didn’t know, he was too weak to battle both and too boring to watch.

The boy just didn’t know what the androids were capable of, what their actions were focused on, what their supposed emotions were. They were cruel, sadistic, _bored_. Their definition of fun was torture, and a game was somebody who had the strength of a Super Saiyajin. Chibi was just a child, how could he possibly know? How could he…

No, there was no such thing as a child anymore was there? Gohan had lost his childhood just before he turned ten and Trunks couldn’t remember when he was last fearless, carefree, and amused by the simple things. What was Chibi’s experience? Did he still remember when he ran around without a care in the world, when he giggled at a butterfly on his nose, when an android was just a big scary monster that never really mattered to him but it scared those who took care of him?

Trunk’s body halted in mid-flight as another rage surged through his head. What did Chibi’s life have to do with his forgotten memories? The prince glanced down at the desolated rocky plains and the image of the strangers and the Gohan-Chibi-persona flashed again. The pressure and pain in his head only increased as he closed his eyes. It had just made everything worse though since the picture became real. He felt like he was a person watching them, that he was sitting and waving at them and they were waving back. He was smiling at a younger version of his mother before he glanced at the Gohan-Chibi-person – who was approaching him slowly – with a thought: _I will save you._

_**STOP!**_ Trunks demanded.

And that’s exactly what his body did.

.xxx.

Fires crackled and smoke was in the air. Gohan’s eyes twitched behind his lids and he groaned. Pain surged from the tips of his fingers to the tips of his toes, and it seemed to have taken a liking to his stomach. (Although since when was that new?) With a groan he pushed himself up from a lying position into a sitting one and looked around, trying to ignore the agony his body was in. The town he was in was already rubble, but it just looked even worse. Fires were still going and releasing smoke, old water pipes had been broken and were releasing the precious life fluid into puddles on the streets, and people slunk around cautiously looking for loved ones.

It was the last thing that had really disheartened Gohan. Twenty years ago, people would not be cowering behind corners but running around frantically for children, siblings, parents, friends… but now life was so valuable one couldn’t risk it for another. This world was just so sad…

How could Trunks bear seeing this each time he was defeated by the androids, how could he continue to do this?

Wait… where was Trunks’ ki? Back at Capsule Corporation Bulma was alone, and he couldn’t find the other’s ki anywhere! Sure, Trunks normally hid it and he had it toned down, but it was never like this! Gohan could always feel the slightest hint! There were only two possible things: Trunks was dead, or he was close to it.

No! No! Not him too! Not again! This couldn’t be! This world needed a warrior! Trunks was the sole carrier of the Saiyajin genes, he was the only who could hope to rival the androids! Gohan wasn’t from here, he couldn’t… he didn’t want to…

Did this mean he had to stay here?

Did this mean that he could never go home?

Did this mean he could never see his mom?

His Dad?

Piccolo?

Gohan’s body trembled with emotion. No! **No!** _Calm down! Calm down! Look for Trunks! Find him!_ He told himself as he held his head and muted out the sounds of terror that those around him were making. He had to find Trunks! Find Trunks and figure out what to do then.

Gohan stood up and raised his ki. He flew the route that was the shortest, and the most direct to Capsule Corporation and he watched the ground.

Trunks had to have left the building – from what he could tell about the man’s attitude – towards the androids. Especially after he would have felt Gohan’s ki drop… If he had flown towards the city, Gohan had to ensure that he kept an eye on his surroundings. Especially if the other had run into the androids…

A thought occurred to Gohan: what if Trunks had gone elsewhere and he was wasting his time here? What if the time he used dawdling along the route here could have been used in saving Trunks’ life elsewhere? What if he lingered here while Trunks died...

Gohan bit his bottom lip. He still… he still had to go to Bulma and ask her where Trunks went, and if, if he somehow missed Trunks _here_ , Gohan didn’t think he could live with that guilt-free. He already killed Trunks’ heart, he couldn’t kill the man’s body too…

No! He had to check! He had to make sure! He had to hope! He had to hope that if Trunks ran into the androids, they left him hanging to life, that they created enough observable damage. It was perhaps depressing that he wanted that fate for Trunks, yet it would be easier. Even if it was so, Trunks would have significant wounds to for his ki to drop this low. But, in case that wasn’t, Gohan kept his eyes and senses peels for any sign of Trunks and his ki.

The only thing that mattered to Gohan now was that Trunks was alright. Nothing else fazed him. Gohan could barely feel the wind against his face as he flew, nonetheless anything else. Trunks was the only thing in his world. Trunks had to be found, Trunks had to be alive.

If he wasn’t, well Gohan didn’t know – to both scenarios.

He looked for purple, for black, for blue, for yellow. Where was the man who defeated Frieza? Where was the last Saiyajin? Where was their prince – _King?_ Where was Trunks?

“Trunks!” Gohan yelled, praying the man was still conscious out there and could respond in some way. “Trunks!”

Why wasn’t he responding! Didn’t he know that he was Earth’s only hope! Sure he thought Gohan was his own son but wouldn’t that mean he’d need to train Gohan? Stupid Trunks! Just stay at home! Just get better! Just live! “ **Trunks!** ”

What was that? Gohan turned his head as he felt a very faint and very low ki off to his left. “Trunks!” Gohan called, but this time out of hope instead of desolation, and flew towards it.

He found the man, lying almost peacefully by a river. Gohan panicked and flew down. He placed his ear against the other’s chest and heard the heart beating, the lungs inhaling.

But both were shallow. He glanced around a gauged the distance towards the Capsule Corporation. Kinto’un would be too slow. He had to fly.

The boy closed his eyes and concentrated on his box before opening it and letting out the power, dying his locks, tinting his eyes.

He picked up Trunks and gently slung the older man over his shoulder. “Hang on Trunks.” He said as he floated up into the air. “I’ll get you home.”

He flew full speed to Capsule Corporation and kept his senses honed in on the other’s ki.

When he got to the door, he let out a sigh and knocked. Gently he moved Trunks into his arms. Bulma, she would take care of – Gohan’s eyes widened as his body finally caught up to him. The pain hit him in another wave, the exhaustion took over, and he was lucky that the door opened because he couldn’t control his body as it collapsed in rebellion.


	11. Chapter 11

_ Beep. Beep. _

His nose was filled with the overly clean and bleach-like smell that he often smelled in hospitals.

_ Beep. Beep. _

His head felt heavy, it felt like there was a needle stuck in his arm and something was clamping on his index finger.

_ Beep. Beep. _

Trunks pushed himself up with his right – and free – hand and opened his eyes to glare at the noisy machine. The walls were an off-white and he saw his heart rate being monitored on a machine that was hooked to the clamp on his finger. He was in a hospital alright.

He glanced around to get his bearings. On a table near him there was food and the bottle of pills he had been prescribed. To his left was another bed – already filled by…

Wait was that – “Chibi!” Trunks yelled out and flung off his covers and ran over to the child, ignoring that he had wires connected to him. He glanced over all of the visible wounds – his head was bandaged, his left arm was in a cast, there were bruises on his face, neck and shoulders, and probably much more under the covers.

How could he have let Chibi go! How could he have just allowed the androids to beat and bruise this child! He was supposed to be the defender!

_ Beep. Beep. Beep! Beep! _

What had he done! This was _Gohan’s_ child! He was supposed to be the boy’s protector! Not the other way around! Trunks fell to his knees and slammed his fists down on the guardrails of Chibi’s bed. How could he have been so stupid! So careless! So useless!

_ Beep beep! Beep beep! _

People rushed in, and among them was his mother. “Trunks!” She yelled and held him. “Settle down!”

He looked at her with guilty eyes. How could he? How could he just simply calm down after realizing his own incompetence. He was no better than Goku right now – rendered useless by some stupid ailment!

_ Beep beep! Beep beep! _

“It wasn’t your fault baby.” His mother soothingly told him. “Goha– Chibi just wanted to help you, and he’s fine. He just needs rest and food. He’ll be fine in no time.”

Trunks blinked back the tears he never knew were there. Chibi would be fine… nothing serious…

_ Beep! Beep. Beep. _

The sound quietly faded into the background as his pulse stabilized. “Now come along and back to your bed. You, or Chibi, won’t be going anywhere until you two are better.”

Trunks silently let his mother guide him back to the bed and he ate the food he was given. “Mother, what happened?”

“Well you charged out, screaming something about Chibi. A few hours later, he’s at my door, carrying you – unconscious – before he passed out.” Bulma sighed and looked over at Chibi. “I think he was running on pure adrenaline.”

“I see…” He said before looking over at the unconscious boy. He remembered flying towards the village, or town, that the androids had or were attacking, the place that Chibi had collapsed. He remembered thinking about the boy’s childhood and… “Ouch…” Trunks brought a hand to his head and winced.

“Trunks? Are you alright?”

“Yeah Mother, I’m fine.” Trunks said and looked back at Chibi. What did Chibi have to do about his forgotten memories? What was that scene with the child that looked just like Chibi with long hair, that looked like Gohan at the boy’s age…

A yellow ship. His mother smiling at him and waving goodbye. Arriving. Frieza.

Trunks eyes widened, and his head was throbbing – but that didn’t matter. Why was Frieza in his memories? Why did he know who Frieza and his father were? Why could he remember their faces when he clearly never met them before – they died before he was born, his mother never took pictures, Gohan never transferred the images into his head. What was going on here, and what did it have to do with Chibi?

“Mother?”

“Yes Trunks?” Bulma responded with a smile.

“How old was Gohan when Frieza attacked?”

“He was seven, why?” His mother said a bit uneasily.

Something wasn’t right here. His mind was drawing blanks and even though it shouldn’t be… even though he shouldn’t be second guessing things, something had to be up and it had to do with his memories. “What month did Frieza attack?”

“Why are you curious about Frieza Trunks?” Bulma said after hesitating. “He’s dead now…”

Why was his mother trying to dodge around his question? She only did that when she was worried that he would have another seizure…

What did Frieza have to do with his seizure – his…forgotten…memories…

His… _trip…_ No, it couldn’t be! It was impossible! Frieza was dead before he was even a glimmer in his parents’ eyes! Especially since Chibi was supposedly involved with those memories. There couldn’t be any connection! Things just weren’t making any sense and his head was killing him. “Wake me when Chibi wakes up.” Trunks said and pulled up the covers. Blissful oblivion was preferred over a splitting headache.

.xxx.

Gohan could hear murmuring to his right and his eyes twitched. What was going on? Where was he? What happened? He moved his neck, but his whole body felt heavy. He just wanted to sleep… Why did he want to sleep? What happened? How long has he been sleeping? He left out a quiet groan as he tried to lift his eyelids – but even they felt heavy.

“Gohan? Err… Chibi?”

Was that Bulma’s voice? Why was she calling him _kid?_ She was right the first time. “Uhnn?” Gohan grunted out and turned his head as his eyes slowly opened. Bulma’s hair was long? “Since when did you get so old Bulma?” He slurred, not really realizing that he spoke aloud.

“Gohan!” Bulma scolded him. “Uhh… I mean… Chibi!”

“What? You’re noisy and my head hurts. Where am I?” He complained and blinked a few times.

“Um… you’re in West City Hospital G-Chibi. I brought you here after you arrived at my doorstep.”

“Hospital?” Gohan wondered. Why was he in a hospital, sure his head hurt, and his stomach felt like he just ate a bomb or something, but why was he in a hospital? Were there not any more senzu beans left? Why did his stomach hurt anyway? Why was the feeling familiar? Sure, it hurt more than when Seventeen… Oh… right. “Oh.” Gohan said with a bit more composure and tried to sit up. However a flare of pain stopped him in his tracks and he brought his right arm (his left arm felt too heavy right now, and it was connected to something) down to hold his stomach as he curled in. “Ahhh!” He moaned out in pain.

“Gohan! Are you alright?”

“Chibi!”

Gohan glanced up to see both Bulma and Trunks at the side of his bed… why were his bedrails all dented... starting down worriedly at him. With a grin he laughed lightly, trying not to aggravate his stomach. “Heh, heh…. Ya know Bulma, you’ve _really_ got to stop calling me that.” However he glanced at Trunks again before he smiled. “How are you feeling Trunks?” Trunks didn’t look hurt… why did he collapse then? Why did his ki drop?

“I’m fine Chibi, I just overexerted myself, and I thought of things that I shouldn’t have. But I think that question should be directed at you, don’t you think?”

Gohan offered a weak smile. “Well, I feel like I ate a bomb that exploded in my stomach and I’m in a spaceship with five times Earth’s normal gravity, but otherwise I’m fine.”

Gohan wasn’t too sure how to respond to Trunks’ expression. Was it disbelief? Was it worry? When he glanced at Bulma, there was a sort of dread. Uhh… he wasn’t supposed to know about that, was he? Oops…

“Chibi… where did you learn about gravity and spaceships?” Trunks asked him cautiously.

“Uh…. Well my mom kinda taught me about them?” Whoops… It seemed like that wasn’t the best option he could have chosen, because now the look on Trunks’ face was angry. _Then again, I suppose it’s alright for him to be angry… since he thinks my mom stole me away from him. Kami that sounded weird!_ “And, and uh… when I saw Chi-Chi a couple weeks ago…. Well I was told some stories of the past…” This was not going good at all! Soon Gohan would run out of half-truths to tell Trunks! He glanced up at Bulma, silently asking for help. Did she know that Trunks and him… the future him… were in a relationship?

“I… see…” The gears seemed to be turning in Trunks’ head, but thankfully Bulma intervened.

“Trunks, why don’t we leave Chibi alone to rest? He won’t heal as fast as his father since he has more human blood in him.” She said as she pushed Trunks over to the bed on his right.

‘Thank you.’ Gohan mouthed to Bulma. Rest did seem like a good option, and one that wouldn’t incriminate him any further.

.xxx.

Trunks continued to stare at Chibi, even after he fell asleep. Something really wasn’t right with Chibi… what seven year old knew about gravity these days? And spaceships? Especially spaceships with the ability to increase gravity?

And he thought about what else was suspicious about Chibi: He could fly, he had access to Kinto’un, he could meditate, do battle projections, ki blasts, he was an adept fighter, he seemed to have an excellent knowledge – something that only schooling could do (whether at home or public, although the likelihood of the latter was virtually impossible) and the list seemed endless! In fact, Bulma usually insisted upon others calling her by her last name, and it seemed that Chibi had the manners that would agree to, or desire to call strangers by polite names. Yet, Chibi called his mother by her name while he was still groggy, and he even called her _old_ – nothing somebody would call a stranger! There was also the case of his own name – how did Chibi know who he was? Did Chi-Chi tell Chibi that too? Why did Chibi know to look under the rock at the training grounds? How did Chibi know where he was? And… how did Chibi know where the androids were, how did he know to look for Trunks? Did the kid know how to sense ki as well?

Everything about Chibi spoke of formal training, it spoke of a life no child could get in these times anymore.

These times… why did those words draw him in?

“Fuck!” Trunks cursed as another rage surged through his head. His arms held his head tightly and he squeezed his eyes shut. Images were flashing through his mind, they were settling in, solving a puzzle that he’d been trying to figure out with only a few pieces. And everything was starting to make sense with the exception of one single piece but perhaps that was forcefully placed in and didn’t truly belong there in the first place…


	12. Chapter 12

When Gohan woke up the second time around, he was more coherent and in less pain. He probably groaned or stirred or something though, because Trunks was at his bedside when he awoke.

“Gohan? Are you up?”

“Hnn? What is it Trunks?” Gohan asked and rubbed his eyes with his right hand. When he looked up at the other he saw a concealed discontentment. “Um, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” Trunks said quickly. “But never mind me, how are you feeling?”

Wow, Trunks’ voice sure just did a three-sixty! Now the words were genuinely concerned, they were soft, they were caring. “U-Uhh… still not great but better than before?” Gohan said uneasily. Trunks’ roundabout threw him off.

“I see.” Here, Trunks paused. “Gohan?”

Gohan looked into Trunks’ eyes curiously. “Yeah?”

“Why are you responding to Gohan?”

Gohan froze. _Uhoh…_ “U-Uhh….” He stuttered. How was he going to get out of this one? “B-Bulma’s been calling me that recently…”

“But you didn’t even pause, unlike how you respond to Chibi.”

He paused when people called him Chibi? True, Gohan told Trunks to just call him that, and it was a name he had gotten used to, but he never _did_ say that was his name. But still… if Gohan was a name that he had to get used to, he should pause right? Unless… Gohan sighed and glanced away from Trunks. He didn’t want to, but it seemed that he had to. Trunks’ wasn’t feeling better, so he couldn’t tell the truth…

“I didn’t want to tell you but…” Gohan let his true emotions of guilt and shame paint over his features. “I was named after Gohan.” While the fact he said wasn’t exactly a lie, why did it feel like it was the worst one he had told? Why did Gohan feel despicable for telling something that was factually true, but contextually false?

“Wh-Wha?”

It was the gasp that escaped Trunks that made Gohan turn back to face the older male and the expression just worsened the guilt. There was shock, confusion, pain written in the face. Trunks had definitely not expected his answer. His continued response was weak as a result.

“S-So, you’re Gohan Junior.” His voice quivered with surprise, uncertainty, and… fury.

 _W-Why is he angry?_ Gohan thought fearfully. Did he imply something he shouldn’t have with those words? Was that implication bad? Did he do something bad? He just wanted to protect Trunks… and now he just hurt him again! Was it alright to hurt the heart if it saved the body? Why was it always like this! He was just trying to do the right thing…

“Chibi?” The voice that was once shaking with anger and confusion was now soft with concern. “What’s wrong?” Again did Trunks emotions flip and change completely. A hand wiped something wet away “Why are you crying?”

“I’m not crying!” Gohan protested. “I’m – I’m okay! I’m fine!” He couldn’t tell Trunks, he had to protect Trunks! If he told Trunks it could kill him or erase the memories forever. That's what Bulma said. He had to stop crying, he had to act like everything was fine, for Trunks’ sake. “I’m fine!” Why wouldn’t the tears stop? He just had to protect! But it hurt Trunks! How could he protect Trunks by hurting him? And why were the tears increasing and not decreasing! Why could he do nothing right! Why was everything going wrong! Why was, why was….

.xxx.

What was wrong with Chibi? Was it because he got angry? “Chibi!” Trunks yelled out in concern. He had to stop the boy from crying, he had to do something, _anything!_ The sobs were probably doing more harm than help for the hiccupping was jolting muscles that were badly bruised from the androids’ punches, and who knew what else. “It’s alright! I’m sorry for getting mad at your name!” That had to be the problem right? He wouldn’t like it if somebody got pissed off at him for having the name he had. “It’s fine, really. It’s your name too. I’m sorry, it’s my fault. Stop crying please, I don’t want you to hurt yourself.”

For some reason, what he said just worsened the situation – it intensified the sobs, increased the tears, and hastened the hiccups. If it wasn’t the name… then what was it? Why was Chibi crying? What was the problem? Of all the days his mother decided to check on the house… What was he supposed to do! He knew he had to comfort the child, that he had to stop the tears from continuing, but he just didn’t know how! Gohan always used to hold him when he cried… his mother held him when Gohan died… perhaps he could hug this child? To hold him and try to soothe away all of his worries?

“Shh… it’s alright…” Trunks whispered as he knelt down and held the boy against his chest – very slowly to mind his stomach. “Shh…” He had to calm Chibi first, then he would decide what to do.

A pair of brown eyes looked up at him with some confusion before the tears overwhelmed them again. But it was that sole moment that caused a start for him, that snapped something within him. The eyes, the face… they were identical Gohan’s and it pulled at Trunks’ heartstrings. To see the one who was the image of his beloved in so much turmoil… to not know what to do about it… to _be the cause_ of it… He couldn’t see the tears anymore, he couldn’t stand the sadness anymore; he had to do something about it.

“Oh Gohan…” Trunks whispered, blinded by his own emotions, before he leaned down and kissed away a tear. The small body froze, but Trunks didn’t notice and he moved onto the next tear.

“T-Trunks?” The voice that trembled in response was a little too high but it was definitely Gohan’s.

“Don’t cry. I’m here, I’ll always be here.” Moving one of his hands, he cupped Gohan’s cheek. But it was too small, too young for the Gohan that he remembered. _Oh shit…_ Trunks realized as he held the cheek that did _not_ belong to Gohan, but to his _son._ “Fuck… I’m sorry Chibi. It’s just that–” The lavender-haired warrior started as he retreated and placed both hands to his face in shame.

“I look like Gohan. I know.” The boy said quietly, completing Trunks’ unfinished statement.

 _I need to stop doing that! If anything, I should consider Chibi as my own son… he’s Gohan’s…_ “Get some rest – Get better.” Trunks turned, unable to face Chibi, and unable to continue with the topic. The shame and guilt weighed heavily on his mind. He didn’t know what to think of the child…

He had so many emotions when it came to the young boy who took care of him. Before he even knew the child, he was shocked yet protective. Then, after meeting the child and forgetting his protective instincts, he had become angry, disgusted, and jealous of the child. He probably already felt those in some degree, but his concussion caused all of emotions to strengthen and go out of whack. But as he regained control again, his initial emotions were becoming stronger… but there was something off still. It was because of his head trauma, it had distorted his sense of reality. Often there were times where he thought the child to be his father, and then just recently… when the child gave him hope and… love, but Gohan Jr. had shattered those two feelings. And now that the piece was revealed to be true, why was his puzzle still incomplete? Why were there gaps where there shouldn’t be? Why were there still so many questions unanswered.... Why did that child have to be Gohan’s son?

.+++.

On the first day, Trunks wandered about the hospital, trying to avoid Chibi. It seemed that his presence was just upsetting the boy, and Trunks didn’t know what to do about it. He didn’t know how he should treat Chibi, how to act around the boy who was like his step-son. Especially now that the child knew that his father and Trunks were in a relationship solely based on the fact that Trunks had _come on_ to the child. If it weren’t for his concussion, Chibi probably wouldn’t have found out. He had also tried to shift all blame onto the boy…. Their relationship was skewed from the start, and still the dissipating concussion made an appearance into his emotions. Hopefully it would only be a few days until he recovered – and Chibi as well from the signs he was showing.

It was odd, Trunks thought, that Chibi’s healing rate was as fast as it was. Normally, Chibi’s rate of healing should be closer to that of a human’s than a Saiyajin’s. Was it perhaps that he wasn’t as hurt as the prince thought? Yet that wasn’t the only question Trunks had about the enigma that was Son Gohan Junior, and it surely wasn’t the most significant.

Why did the boy hesitate in telling Trunks his name? Why did he not just outright say that he was Gohan’s son? If the boy had known that he was Trunks – Gohan’s pupil – then what was he afraid of, if fear was what had stopped him? It couldn’t be the nature of the their relationship, for when Chibi asked about it in the kitchen, he truly didn’t know if it was true. So then, why was there the hesitation? Why didn’t Chibi admit things unless he had no other option?

Was the boy just shy? Did he hate his father? Did he want to make his own path in life? Trunks couldn’t tell – all he could tell was what he had observed, and even then his observations were filled with questions. Chibi had avoided him like the plague when the boy found out his father had a relationship with him. At first, Trunks thought Chibi was disgusted, or some other negatively-charged emotion aimed at him, but why was it that he saw guilt in those black-Son eyes? Why did Chibi rush out to stop him from being pounded by the androids again? Why did he have an adrenaline rush from his deathly-low ki levels? Gohan Jr. couldn’t be afraid of him or disgusted by him judging by those actions. Nothing that the boy did made any sense to Trunks – from the time that he sought out Trunks in Parsley City to now. Why did the boy take care of him in the training grounds, why did he know the stuff he did, why he treated Trunks the way he did, why he chose all the actions that he did. Gohan Son Jr. was far from being a simple child – Trunks realized – but he was another piece of a puzzle that the lavender-haired man had to put together.

Now he remembered why he hated puzzles as a child…

.xxx.

Gohan had to lie down in bed – it still hurt to sit. Eighteen really did a number on him…

That thought made Gohan worried. What strength would he have to obtain in order to defeat them? Trunks still could not beat them and Gohan already saw how strong the Saiyajin Prince was. He could still recall that feeling of dread when Frieza and another, stronger ki, approached Earth, and of awe at a stranger’s power.

_It had been two years since the defeat of the malevolent warlord Frieza. Namek – a journey thought to be something casual yet turned very wrong – had been hellish. The fear of Frieza, the fear of his henchmen, the fear of Vegeta and his ability to sense ki, had all been solved by his father. His father had come to Namek and killed Frieza and at first was thought to have died in the process. However, he was alive and well but somewhere in outer space. That was fine, until an old horror came back to haunt them._

_None of the warriors had thought that Frieza survived the destruction of Namek, nor had they thought that Frieza would return with somebody even stronger. But they had to fight, for the sake of Earth. None would be able to fight them on an equal level – that required the power of a Super Saiyajin, but perhaps they could hold them off until his father came back. Goku would save them._

_None of them had expected that a lavender-haired boy would show up out of nowhere and that he would decimate Frieza’s army within a blink of an eye, that he would change into the golden-haired warrior that appeared on Namek and defeated the Ice-jin within seconds – something that Goku couldn’t even fathom on Namek – either._

_Who was this strange Saiyajin? Who was this powerful boy? He was stronger than Goku! Gohan could remember the battle of Frieza and his father clearly, he could remember seeing the first few moments from his father’s transformation to the time he went into the spaceship. It was nothing like this. Whoever this boy was, his strength had surpassed Goku’s – from at least two years ago. And Gohan was sure that this strength – as amazing as it was – was just a taste of what this boy could truly do!_

And to think, that that very strength could not defeat these artificial humans, that in the end that strength had been surpassed and tossed away like a simple plaything. That his trainer – _Him_ – was even more powerful and could not even create a scratch. What was this? How much more strength did he have to obtain? How much more _could_ he obtain? What was the difference between Trunks’ and his power levels?

…Why did he always have to be too weak?

Gohan gave a soft sigh. That weakness didn’t just apply to his power level either. He was weak because he continued to hurt Trunks, he hurt Trunks because he was too weak. Too many not-quite-lies were piling up on one another and they were weighing on his shoulders. Was that the reason why Trunks wasn’t in the room anymore unless he had to be – it had been two days already! Why did Gohan have to do things so badly? He never could do the right thing. Why did he have to say that he was his own son? Why did he have to turn into a Super Saiyajin to prove his lineage? Why did he have to walk towards the time-ship in the first place!

He was not like the Gohan of his time, and he definitely wasn’t like his father. What was wrong with him? How had he messed up so badly? Yet now, he was caught up in the web and he couldn’t get out without drawing attention to the spider that was Trunks’ condition. If he pulled even a single string out, Trunks could forget forever. (Or something bad like that.) Yet regardless of this he wanted to tell Trunks the truth, he wanted to let all of the problems go. He wanted to stop hurting the man that had saved them in the past, he wanted to do the right thing.

But… _what_ was the right thing to do? Should he tell the truth to stop the mental pain, but risk physical pain? Should he lock it away to preserve the physical pain but cause mental pain? What did Trunks want? What would he want if he was in Trunks’ shoes?

Gohan didn’t know… he didn’t know what it was to love another in the way Trunks loved his future self. He didn’t know what it was to receive that love in return. He never had a girlfriend or a boyfriend; he never had to worry about such things. All that mattered was school and training. Yet now, as he was thrust into this world of fear, he was told that Trunks was his future boyfriend, he was told he would die, and he was told that he would leave the man he loved alone in _this_ world. With the addition of lie that he made Trunks believe, he had also cheated on Trunks, he wasn’t loyal to Trunk, he didn’t trust Trunks to defeat the androids…

Yet was it his future self that he should fear or was it his future self that he should look up to? That man would have never lied to Trunks, he would have never hurt Trunks unless it was absolutely necessary – and even then it wouldn’t be intentional. Death was something that Gohan couldn’t help, so why should Gohan blame that man for dying and leaving Trunks alone? He was the one who lied, he was the one who hurt Trunks. No, he shouldn’t be fearing that man who now lay under the tree, he should be fearing the person that he was now. He had done more damage to Trunks than that man ever could. He controlled the actions that shattered the heart that was broken by something that he had no control over. It was he that was to blame for Trunks’ turmoil. It was no wonder why Trunks avoided him. It was all his fault.


	13. Chapter 13

Seven days. It had been seven days since they had been admitted.

Seven days since Trunks had started avoiding him.

Gohan sighed. He was mostly healed by now. Battered and bruised, his arm still in a cast… but healed enough to wander about as Trunks was doing. And yet, it was that guilt that kept him here. Kept him from seeking out Trunks, or even accidentally bumping into him. Maybe he should ask Bulma? Ask her if he should tell Trunks. Because this lie… it was eating away at _both_ of them. From the little moments he saw of Trunks, well he didn’t look too happy. (Which only made him feel _worse_ but what was he supposed to do?)

And then Trunks walked in, looking determined as he looked at him.

“Chibi, let’s go for a walk.”

The other’s appearance startled him and he looked up. “...A… walk?”

The nod was terse, but nothing else was said.

Gohan sighed softly. He… he supposed he _should._ This was entirely his fault after all… And so he nodded, getting out of bed.

It was quiet for the first while, and Gohan could feel when Trunks was looking at him. The gaze was on and off.

And, finally, Trunks spoke up.

“I’m… I’m sorry.”

_Trunks_ was sorry? Gohan looked up at him in shock. In denial almost. “ _You’re_ sorry? But you’ve got nothing to--”

He shook his head.

“My attitude, my actions… I should have never done what I did Chibi.”

Okay, now Gohan was getting defensive. (It was his guilt, he knew.) “They are all _perfectly reasonable_ considering what I’ve put you through! And you’ve got head trauma!”

A dry laugh left Trunks and he shook his head. “Nothing explains my behaviour lately Chibi. It was wrong of me to do what I was doing. Concussion or no concussion. Clot or no clot.” He sighed.

Oh, no. It was happening again.

Gohan felt hands on his shoulders as fury began to coil up within him. As he felt that he was just getting ignored and Trunks was just being so _stupid_ and….

“Calm down Chibi. Calm down. Breathe. Don’t let _it_ control you.” Trunks’ voice continued to guide him. To calm him. To soothe him and his temper. And gradually it worked.

“I'm sorry.”

When Gohan looked up, Trunks was shaking his head.

“Don't be. You're new to this. I remember what this was like. You're doing good.”

Gohan felt a pit in his stomach. Did… did he teach Trunks these same things…? Or… or was his death…

He closed his eyes tightly. Hard, this was getting _so_ hard to keep in. The guilt was overwhelming. This was his fault and he just…

There were arms wrapped around him. “Shhh… shhhh…” A hand was stroking through his head.

For once, it didn't end with odd looks or feelings.

“Chi- Gohan, come sit… I have something to tell you.” Trunks said once he let go and sat on a patch of grass.

Gohan couldn't deny him. No, not after everything he put this young man through. So, he sat next to him. 

“I remember.”

Those two words jolted him. At first, at first he stared up at Trunks in shock, but then… then after seeing that honesty there he looked away as a wave of guilt hit him.

_So he knows. Knows how I **lied** to him._

“I _remember_ Gohan. So you don't have to keep pretending.”

Gohan brought his knees up and he sniffled, pressing his eyes into them.

“I'm sorry.” He blubbered, hugging his legs tightly. “I'm sorry. I'm so, _so_ sorry…”

“Ch-Gohan? Why? Why are you sorry?”

“...For everything. I lied… I **died.** I left you all alone! I made you think I was unfaithful! I hurt you! I made you feel heartbreak and anguish and-”

A hand tore his face away from his knees, and he looked up to see blurry blue eyes. 

“You only did what you had to. And… Chibi, you haven't done that. Any of that. At least not _you._ Not yet. And hopefully, not _ever._ ”

What… what was Trunks…?

“I went into the past for a reason Gohan. We will prevent this future from ever seeing light. For… for you anyway. And maybe, just maybe Goku can find a weakness I cannot. Or a strength I have yet to find, so that this time can be saved.” There was a was smile. “And then… you'll never leave me Gohan. At least, the me yet to be born. So don't. Don't feel guilt for what happened to _him_ , okay?

Gohan bit his lip. Bit his lip and nodded.

“I'll… I'll try.”

It was going to be hard though…

 

.+++.

One of the first things they did was talk to Bulma. And, of course one of the first things _she_ did was scold him. Call him stupid and reckless and careless.

“B-But Bulma…” It was the guilt, he knew it was, but he felt like stepping in and defending Trunks. “He didn't know I was going to walk towards his time machine…”

“Oh, Gohan, honey. That doesn't matter. This dolt should have had a better control on the power outlet.” Bulma was smiling at him before turning to scold Trunks even more.

“Well… to be fair… how should he know how much power to use? It's not like he did it before…” Gohan pouted.

And then he received a smack to his head.

“There. You got scolded too, happy?”

And, all of a sudden, Gohan decided that he _really liked_ Trunks’ laugh.

.+++.

To say the Bulma here was vastly different than the one he knew would be lying. There were differences, yes… but ones that were due to age. To motherhood. She was still determined, and feisty, she still had that proud air about her, even if battered and bruised around the edges.

She was a fighter, like the rest of them except in a very different way.

He could see why she and Vegeta got together. They were… very much alike.

Gohan, too, could see those traits in Trunks - and yet he could also see his own influence on this young man. The manners… the kindness in his eyes. The gentleness…

(And, too, he could see just _how_ this world has affected him. But he tried not to dwell on _that._ Although, he wondered, just _what_ a world of peace would do to him…)

(Gohan would ensure that he found that out.)


	14. Chapter 14

To be completely honest, Trunks felt bad. Goku, only Goku was supposed to know.   
It was his mother’s decision actually. Chi-Chi was too emotional, Krillin couldn't keep secrets, his father too sceptic and egotistical to do anything, and her younger self too rash, too eager (Not to mention talking to his parents could ruin his own conception.) And, according to his mother: Goku may be a complete dolt, but he knew to be serious when it mattered most.

And Gohan? Gohan was just a child. A very mature child, but a child nonetheless.

Not to mention… well he had the short end of the stick when it came to the easiest fate.

And yet… he brought Gohan here. To the future. He was changing history… _too_ much.

Hopefully… hopefully he wouldn't cause that much of a disturbance.

.+++.

Gohan carried too much on his shoulders. Too much. It was a trait that Trunks noticed in the Gohan of this time -- and it seemed that even at seven years of age, his mentor had that same capacity. He noticed it when the child was trying to take blame for things that he _had not even done._

And even now, even now guilt weighed on his shoulders.

_I hurt you!_

Trunks knew what the child was referring to. The lie that he was his own child. And he wouldn’t deny that it _hurt_ him. The thought that… but it was a necessity, or at least his mother believed it so. (They were dealing with a potentially fatal injury after all.) And it was better to play things safe…

Trunks didn’t fault him for it, no. What else was he supposed to think?

And, well… the Androids weren’t that much help either… being the ones to come up with this solution.

(That thought made him freeze. The Androids…)

_“We killed Gohan for a reason!”_

Shit.

.+++.

“Chibi!”

He still hadn’t gotten out of calling the other that. But, perhaps, it was for the better.

Gohan flinched at the name. Of course he did - seeing as what it represented.

(How? How, he wondered, could this boy hold it in all like that? Trunks could see it now - as a tightly wrung coil that was finally released.)

“Trunks?”

He found himself cursing the mistake of bringing the other to the future. Gohan **shouldn’t** be making that expression…

“We can’t let the Androids figure out who you are…”

Recognition flashed across his face before it fell once more. “Oh… yeah… because they killed me…”

Trunks nodded, although he had more details to add - occurring as he thought upon the scenario even more. “Not only that… but then they might discover the fact that I travelled through time. They might put two and two together or just assume…” And that? That was one of the worst case scenarios - for _who knew_ just what those two would do. Would they destroy the machine? Would they _use it for themselves_ once Earth was run dry? And, would they kill him for it? Or just beat him to unconsciousness, and take it off his body, to leave them completely and utterly hopeless?

(And, if they found out, just _what_ would that mean for the child Gohan? Being never able to return home…)

And then the silent child looked up at him with concern in those deep, dark eyes, “B-But _Trunks!_ ” Insistent. He was insistent. “What if they decide… I-I mean…” Insistent as he _worried_ at his lip.“...They killed **me** so I couldn’t keep training you. So… neither of us could become strong enough to defeat them…” Insistent as he squirmed in his spot.

And Trunks, he understood just _where_ Gohan was going with this. Concerned, Gohan was concerned that the androids would kill **him** And… unfortunately, the child wasn’t very far off. What was it that Eighteen said? _‘Kill him once he out lives his usefulness too’_?

But Trunks smiled sadly, happy at the concern before squeezing those tiny shoulders reassuringly. “Gohan, I **won’t** let them kill you a **second** time. Remember what we’re doing here, remember why I travelled into the past. It was risky - doing something no other person has done - but necessary. There’s no dragon balls to revive you if you die here, and - I… I do not know if it would be feasible to go back in time to revive who, you died _here._ ” He sighed.

“I risk my life every day Chibi, that’s not going to change. But you - _you_ \- need to return to your time.” He smiled. Smiled and tried to look hopeful and happy and proud. “And, look… time’s already _changing._ The Gohan from here? He was not a Super Saiyajin at seven years old. You’re already stronger Gohan. Stronger than him. So, promise me Gohan,” Trunks squeezed his shoulders once more, “promise me you won’t die.”

And when Gohan looked up to meet his eyes - Trunks met a hardened gaze that reminded him of _his_ Gohan.

“Only if you do too.”

The kid drives a **damn** hard bargain, and Trunks couldn’t help it - he laughed.

“Very well.”

.xxx.

Trunks taught him a lot of things, although the very first lesson was honing in the anger, controlling it. It was learning how to not let it burn away at his reserves. And, perhaps the most difficult of it was the _control._ Not the capability to turn it on, no, it was keeping it _turned off._ Because it would trigger almost randomly. At the tiniest spark of anger. But, he had Trunks to guide him, to calm him, to walk him through it all. During this, too, he also learned just what he had suspected all along: that it took _his_ death to trigger Trunks. That _he_ had left Trunks all **alone** to not only mourn him, to miss him, to fight… but to also deal with _this._

It did not do his guilt _any_ favours.

(He tried, really he did. But it was hard. Hard to not _see_ just what his future actions _did_ to another. Hard not to see that if he - if _they_ failed… this was what to come…)

And… Trunks’ continual usage of ‘Chibi’ did not either. But, Gohan put up with it simply because they couldn’t have Trunks yelling out his name if they ended up facing the Androids…

It also made him worry _even more_ for the other’s safety. Because he _was_ a Super Saiyajin now - and when the Androids killed him here? Trunks was not. And now - now they were facing _two_ golden warriors… Ones that were teaching and being taught. Ones that were training with one another….

But Trunks promised him. He had to trust Trunks. He wouldn’t lie…

Right?

.+++.

They faced the androids occasionally. Eighteen didn’t like him, she never _really_ did, but it only seemed to get worse as the weeks turned into months. Gohan seriously worried… but thankfully…

Thankfully she never did decide to kill either of them.

And, while, yes, the sustained quite a number of injuries, nothing seriously wrong happened.

As Gohan noticed before, he couldn’t help but feel it: the vast differences in their eras. He… he didn’t like it here. It was dark, dangerous, _dreadful._ He didn’t like having to look around every corner, or be cautious at every noise. He didn’t… he didn’t…

No, he **hated** how _hopeless_ this land was. And, when he went home, he **would** change this.

He understood Trunks a lot more now…

(Was that a good, or a bad thing?)

Because… because if he couldn’t stop it…

(Gohan didn’t want to die.)


	15. Chapter 15

"...Are you sure about this Chibi?"

Time, it was time to go home. Time to leave _this_ time, and go back to his own. Time to leave Trunks, alone, _once again._

(Again, he knew, he _knew_ that _he_ hadn’t but…)

Trunks would return however. Return to him - _them_ \- in three years. Return to when the Androids attacked them.

(It was hard - _hard_ \- to not feel protective, responsible even, for the other. Because Trunks was to be _his_ apprentice… his _protege._ To the point where he _didn’t_ want Trunks to return until _after_ they defeated the androids, because then his life wouldn’t be at stake. But Gohan wasn’t stupid - they needed all the help they could get, and Trunks, well, he had to learn. Learn just _how_ to defeat them, so he could repeat it _here._ )

And, despite the danger, however, Gohan knew he was already looking forward to it.

“Are you _sure_ you want to do this?”

What Trunks was asking, _was not_ going home - no, the other was very insistent on it (Gohan was, too, in his own way) - it was _how_ he was going home.

Gohan was not going to tell the others where he had gone. In fact, they were planning on arriving just in time so that he was not missed, or even thought to have gone anywhere.

He had decided this for multiple reasons. First and foremost: Gohan did not want to worry anybody. Just _what_ would they think? Of him being forced into an apocalyptic world? And then, then there was the fact that _only Goku_ knew about Trunks. Where he came from, who he was, what happened… And if Gohan revealed that he was in the future…

He didn’t want to be the reason Trunks did not exist in his time.

(And if Trunks didn’t exist… _everything_ fell apart.)

And so, he nodded.

“I don’t want to worry anybody.”

Certainly, even then, Goku would really be the only one who worried, since his father was the one who was told and…

Really, it would just made everything far too confusing.

(And certainly; Gohan knew, he knew that if anything, his father would only be proud. Proud at how much stronger he had gotten in these last six months…)

He found himself biting at his lip however - just _how_ had he become a pathological liar? But he couldn’t… he had to protect Trunks. Had to prevent his friends and father from worrying about him.

Trunks was solemn for a moment before he nodded. "Very well, just remember, I had told your father..."

And Gohan had nodded. He nodded and listened in the off chance that he slipped up, or he decided to let his father know. Because he couldn’t tell his dad more than was absolutely necessary.

“And - Chibi?”

Gohan looked up at those blue eyes.

“Not a word about my parentage. _Please._ Even Mom pressed this, because her and Dad’s relationship…”

Gohan smiled. “Trunks, that is the _last_ thing I want to do. I can’t stay with somebody who doesn’t exist, right?”

Trunks laughed.

(At the very least, he should just forget the future completely. Since, well, he wasn't supposed to know anyway.)

"...So _where_ did you say Krillin hit you again?"

.+++.

Gohan stumbled out the crater that formed when his father’s spaceship landed on Earth. The others had started calling his name and he laughed softly, brushing off the dust of his clothes.

“I'm here!”

"Oh _there_ you are Gohan!"

Gohan laughed nervously and rubbed his head, wincing at the bruise his friend... his _student_ from the future gave him to mimic the blow Krillin gave him.

"Hey, kid, you alright?" That was Krillin.

Gohan laughed again. "Yeah. I was trying to dodge your elbow... It didn't work in the end though, and I stumbled on top of it all.”

"Sorry kid!"

Laughter erupted around them.

"Now that we've found Gohan…” Everybody turned to his father. “Goku, what did that young man have to say?"

His father looked like he was in some serious thought, which surprised Gohan for once. Was... was his dad worried?

He found himself biting his lip, only feeling even more secure in the fact that he was keeping a secret. 

"Oh, nothing important."

Gohan did not know whether to feel bad or relieved that his _own father_ was lying too...

"Start talking Goku." Gohan looked at Piccolo, this time, with surprise. "This is important to all of us."

"You... You heard us?"

_Great. Just great..._

His father should have been easy enough to fool, but _Piccolo?_ And now... to tell _everybody?_ Tell them the fate of their world… of their lives…

(Yes, it was a good thing he hadn't told them. Because then _everybody_ would worry and…)

But what about Trunks!? Wouldn't telling them...

"Don't worry I won't reveal anything that will threaten his existence."

Gohan felt himself relaxing.

And so he listened half-heartedly when Piccolo summarised Trunks' warning. When he underlined the seriousness of it all. Telling everybody to train and get stronger and...

_If only they knew..._

"...Gohan, are you alright? You look pale son."

Gohan shook himself out of his dark thoughts and he nodded. "Y-Yeah. It just sounds... terrifying."

He felt eyes on him.

.+++.

Gohan did not know how badly he wanted to hear his mother’s screaming, arguing voice until now.

To see as she tried to push for his education. As she protested them going out training. As she was trying to fight for his future.

As she stood there - a strong, powerful, opinionated woman who wouldn’t back down without a fight.

(And yet, it was painful. A painful reminder of _what she could become._ It only reminded him of _what he was supposed to do._ It only solidified his resolve. He needed to get her to agree.)

“Mom.” Gohan forced out a smile, reaching out to gently touch her arm. “I want to help.”

And she sighed, ruffling his hair before she conceded. But not without the threat of further studying afterwards.

Well, that was no surprise.

.+++.

Gohan wondered, he wondered: Just _how_ would he have reacted to training with his father _and_ Piccolo if he hadn’t ended up in the future? He supposed he would have been ecstatic; these two were the most important men in his life after all.

And yet, yet the only thing he felt was _dread._

He hoped Piccolo hadn’t noticed.

.+++.

No. It wasn’t just dread, Gohan realised as the days blurred together. No, that _guilt_ was returning, but in a different form altogether.

(It wasn’t like it had ever left either, no, Gohan still felt that heavy burden of Trunks, but this was different. New.)

It was the guilt of lying. (No, not lying. It was just an omission of the truth. Something he had just _not told them._ Because, it was true. He tried to dodge Krillin’s arm, and he fell into the crater… but just… didn’t tell them of the six month gap between those two actions is all.) The _consequence_ of it all.

Because, it was costing them. _All_ of them.

(Which, unfortunately, only made him remember Trunks. Remember Trunks and how he was **all alone** in that terrifying, dark world…)

Because… because…

_They didn’t know._ (Of course they didn’t – he didn’t tell them) _He wasn’t giving it his all…_ (But how could he?)

He would have to give himself up. And yet… and yet… it would mean causing them worry. It would be _admitting_ that what he was doing was wrong. (He was just trying to save them. _All_ of them…) Because, Piccolo And his father?

They wouldn’t have even _considered_ it.

Because… because… _Frieza._

No Super Saiyajin would be terrified of him.

(Such a time… seemed so long ago. His excitement upon seeing his dad… that crippling fear of Frieza’s return… it all seemed so _muted_ compared to _now..._ )

And perhaps… perhaps his father would be fooled. It wasn’t like he was _here_ to notice any improvement in Gohan’s power. It wasn’t as if he witnessed his terror, or his awe.

But Piccolo knew better. Gohan would never be able to fool _him._

(And even now, _even now_ there were _those eyes_ watching him.)


End file.
